Forever and Ever
by samlover14
Summary: The gang starts their Senior Year at East High, but can they handle the new twists in store for them? What happens when Sharpay gets involved in everything like the Ice Princess she is? Starts Troyella, progresses to Ryella, Troypay, Chaylor, and Jelsi.
1. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4

**Chapter One – Reminiscences  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella got up. It was the first day of her senior year of high school, and she was excited. She thought about the wonderful dream she had been having. She and Troy had been having a picnic on the beach. She realized this couldn't have been real, because there was no beach in the vicinity of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she and her friends attended East High. Her boyfriend, Troy, was captain of the basketball team that consisted mostly of him and his buddies, Zeke, Jason, and Chad.

Gabriella walked to her closet, looking for clothes. Her eyes fell on the red dress she had worn after Troy and his teammates won the state championships. That had also been the day that she and her friend, Taylor, had won the scholastic decathlon and also the day that she and Troy had been cast in the Winter Musicale, much to the annoyance of Drama Club co-presidents, Sharpay and Ryan, who had become understudies. The night of the second performance, Troy had had a Basketball dinner that he just couldn't miss, resulting in Ryan and Gabriella performing, because the show must go on. They had a lot of fun. Sharpay had been disappointed that she didn't get to perform.

Gabriella was pulled out of her reverie by her mother, who announced that breakfast was ready. Gabriella quickly picked out a cute outfit, pulled a brush through her hair, and went downstairs. Her mother had cooked her breakfast every morning since they had moved to Albuquerque, including the whole summer, when Gabriella, Troy, and their friends had worked at the country club that Sharpay and Ryan's parents owned. Sharpay had coerced Troy into singing with her, and it had snowballed horribly, until Gabriella had broken up with Troy. Fortunately for them, Ryan had saved their relationship and the Talent Show.

Gabriella looked down at the T she wore on a necklace. The T stood for Troy, of course. She smiled as she ate and then she heard a honk in the driveway. It was Troy in his truck. Gabriella gathered her books into her backpack, finished off her milk, and hurried outside to join him. When they got to school, they found all of their friends, including Sharpay and Ryan, who walked up beside them.

"Hey, Gabriella, Troy," said Ryan. "So, how was your summer?" All four friends laughed and walked to Ms. Darbus's homeroom.

**Chapter Two – Mr. Fix-It Boy  
(Ryan)**

Ryan sat down in his desk behind his sister. Troy sat on her left, and usually Chad sat behind him, but he gave up his seat for Gabriella this year, which Ryan thought unusually nice of him, until he looked up and saw that Chad was trading seats with her to be closer to Taylor, with whom he apparently had struck up some kind of relationship.

Homeroom didn't start for another ten minutes, so Ms. Darbus was not there yet. Ryan turned to participate in the conversation Sharpay, Troy, and Gabriella were having.

"This year is so going to rock!" Troy was saying. The other three agreed.

"Right," said Sharpay. "There's the Fall Play, the Winter Talent Show, the Winter Musical, and the Spring Musical, and not to mention the Halloween Dance, Homecoming, the Snowball, the Valentine's Dance, the Semi-Formal, Prom, the Sadie Hawkins Dance–"

"Whoa, sis, slow down, it's just the first day of school," said Ryan. He was the only one to notice that Sharpay's eyes had been fixed on Troy during her entire speech. If Ryan wasn't careful, this year might turn into a repeat of that summer's fiasco. Sharpay had decided that she and Troy made a great couple, and that Gabriella was not the correct choice for him. Sharpay had coerced Troy into singing with her, Ryan had mobilized the Wildcats in a number starring himself and Gabriella, after Sharpay had cut her and Ryan's song. However, at the last minute, Sharpay cut the Wildcats from the program, and Gabriella broke up with Troy. Ryan stepped in, rescuing the relationship by sending Chad and Taylor with the T for Troy necklace to Gabriella's house, and also rescuing the show by tricking Troy into learning the song that he had been practicing with Gabriella. The show turned out wonderfully, and he, Ryan, had won the Star Dazzle award, due to the kindness of his sister. Ryan didn't expect that kindness to carry very much longer. In fact, he already suspected her of planning her newest ploy to ensnare Troy.

Presently, Ms. Darbus came into the room. She gave her usual greeting, "Good morning, class, please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices," and she began giving the announcements, including that the auditions for the Fall Play would be the next week. No one except Sharpay and Kelsi gave any enthusiasm to this. Soon the bell rang.

Ryan looked at his schedule and realized he had first period Geometry. As he ambled to the Math Department, he remembered how he had passed Algebra Two. Gabriella had been tutoring him. She had taught him how to change the problems into ones that he could understand and identify with. In return, Ryan had choreographed Troy's Basketball team's band, as well as Sharpay's all girl rock band, and Gabriella's solo that he had convinced her to do. The show had been splendid, and Sharpay had won the award, of course, even though she had had laryngitis, and had been lip-synching.

When he arrived in Geometry, he found that he was sharing the class with Troy, among other people. The two were extremely surprised. As the math class rambled on, Ryan took thorough notes, as Gabriella had taught him, and when he looked up at Troy, sitting on his right, he noticed that he was doing the exact same thing. This didn't come as a surprise to Ryan, he guessed that Gabriella had tutored him too, after all, they had been dating since her first arrival at East High right after Christmas Break junior year, not counting the three or four days during the summer when they had broken up.

Ryan silently reminisced about the night that Troy had been unable to make it to the performance of the Twinkle Towne Winter Musicale, and Ryan had had to step in to save the show. He wondered why it always came down to him to save things. Did everyone look at him and see the amazing hero, Mr. Fix-it-Boy? He wasn't sure he was okay with this, although he wasn't against it. It had been fun singing with Gabriella. Much more fun than singing with Sharpay, that's for sure. He remembered how angry Sharpay had been, when she had found out that he was going to perform without her. Ryan had known she would be, but he really hadn't braced himself for the ear-splitting screech that she did so often.

Ryan thought about that night more often than he thought about any other night in his school production history. Singing, dancing, acting, everything had seemed much more real with Gabriella. He had actually enjoyed himself. With Sharpay, she was always pushing and pulling him around, so that she was in the spotlight. He cast his mind around. The time they had done the Romeo and Juliet was just about the worst. The bell rang again, telling Ryan that it was time for his next class, History.

**Chapter Three – Oliver Twist  
(Troy)**

Troy got up from his seat in Geometry and sighed. It was going to be a long semester if he had to sit through that every morning. He got up and consulted his schedule. He had English next. He went up the stairs to the English Department, and sat down in his next class. It wasn't until the bell rang again, that he noticed Sharpay sitting next to him. He groaned. This would be the longest day ever if he didn't stop having encounters with her.

The English Teacher assigned them to get into groups of two and discuss a book they were supposed to have read over the summer. Troy looked hopelessly around for anyone else to partner with, but it was too late.

"So, Troy, did you read the book?" asked Sharpay, rummaging in her pink sequined backpack for something. Troy actually had read the book, and he could tell by Sharpay's tone that she definitely hadn't. She had probably been too engrossed in the plans for the Midsummer's Night Talent Show at her country club, Troy thought.

"Yes, Sharpay, I read the book," said Troy, sighing.

"Good, because I didn't," said Sharpay. "What's it about?"

"Okay, well, in case you didn't know, the book is Oliver Twist, and it's about this orphan named Oliver, and he–" began Troy.

"Oliver Twist? I know what that's about, that's a musical. We did that a few years ago. I told Ms. Darbus that it wasn't a very good choice, because there were no roles for me to really shine in," said Sharpay. "It turned out okay because I played Rose, and Ryan was–"

"Sharpay, as much as I would love to hear about your musical stuff, we have an assignment to do," said Troy, cutting her off before she could detail the show.

"Right. So it starts with the boy named Oliver, and he's at the orphanage, and he asks for some more food, and the mean man tells him he can't have anymore food, and so he escapes from that place, and joins a pickpocket crew, and they sing as they go along," said Sharpay. As she began to reprise one of the musical's best known numbers, Troy sighed again. This was definitely going to be a long year.

**Chapter Four – Disaster Zone  
(Gabriella)**

Meanwhile, Gabriella and her best friend, Taylor, were in Calculus 2 class. The class was very small, and consisted mostly of students on the scholastic decathlon team or the math team. Taylor and Gabriella were working on one of the tougher problems in the problem set.

"If the limit of the sin of 2x squared as x goes to 0 is equal to the square of the limit's square root, what does that tell us?" Gabriella asked Taylor. Taylor giggled.

"That when you take the square of the square root, you end up back where you started?" said Taylor. Gabriella groaned and put her head down on the desk. "Did you not study at all this summer?"

"No," said Gabriella. "I meant to but with being a lifeguard and the whole musical thing, there was just no time." Gabriella blushed. There probably would have been time if not for Troy.

"Please tell me this is not the doing of lunkhead basketball man," said Taylor. Gabriella nodded, and then giggled. That name always amused her.

"It's only the first day of school. I promise to study tonight, and I'll be good as new tomorrow," she said. At that moment, the bell rang. "See you at lunch," she said to Taylor, as she hurriedly stuffed her Calculus book, notes, and calculator into her bag. She consulted her schedule, and realized that her next class was History. When she arrived down the hall in the History Department, she almost ran into Ryan, who was coming out of the classroom she was entering.

"Hey," she said to him as she passed, smiling.

"Hey," he said back, also smiling. She sat down in her seat. Sharpay entered the classroom, looked around spotted Gabriella, and sat next to her. Gabriella smiled at Sharpay, who smiled back. Gabriella took the textbook that the teacher was handing out, and looked at the cover. It did say AP US History, and Gabriella wondered what Sharpay was doing there.

"Sharpay, you do know this is, like, really advanced history, right?" Gabriella asked Sharpay. Sharpay looked at her and nodded like she didn't almost fail history the year before. "You do remember that you almost failed history last year? And that I had to tutor you?" Gabriella asked. Gabriella was sure there must be some kind of mistake.

"Yes, Gabriella, I am aware, but since we're in the same class, maybe we could do homework together?" said Sharpay. Before Gabriella could register what she had said, Sharpay laughed. "Just kidding. The guidance counselor said that AP is a good way to get ready for college." Gabriella still didn't understand, but she accepted that Sharpay was in her class. The teacher stood up and began lecturing about "background materials" including knowledge everyone should already have, such as Christopher Columbus, and why the year 1776 was so important. Sharpay raised her hand. Gabriella looked at her, very surprised.

"Christopher Columbus is a great director, having directed Rent and Harry Potter, and 1776 is an excellent musical, that I myself have starred in, but I can't see why either are important in this class," Sharpay said.

The teacher frowned at her, and Gabriella sighed. This was going to be a long year. Ryan was in Geometry with Troy, and Sharpay was in APUSH, there was going to be a lot of tutoring among the seniors at East High, and there was only a few tutors to go around. The only relief that Gabriella got was that Taylor was there for her, as was Troy, and that neither Ryan, nor Sharpay were taking Calculus. When History class finally ended and the bell rang for lunch, Gabriella went to find her usual table with Troy, Chad, and Taylor.

When she arrived at the cafeteria, she saw that her friends were waiting for her in the lunch line. She was pleased to see that Sharpay was having her usual homemade lunch up on the second level of the café area with Ryan and Kelsi, as was the norm. When the four of them finally got their lunches and sat down with Zeke, Martha, and Jason, Gabriella began dishing about her awful morning, helped by Taylor, who had had the first two classes with her.

"And Sharpay is in my APUSH class, this year is a disaster," she finished.

"Cheer up, guys," said Kelsi, surprising most of them. "It's only the fist day of school, things are sure to get better. After all, who knows, Sharpay could end up failing history, and not being able to star in the theater productions." Everyone said hi to Kelsi, and Zeke and Jason moved apart to make a space for her. "So I've got all the music composed for your winter musical," she continued, but the bell got the best of her, and they all hurried to get to class.

**A/N: Okay, so there's the first bit of my new story! It may seem a little vague, but I didn't want to post too much all at once. Thanks for reading this, and review it please! I'll be posting sooner (throughout the story) if I get more reviews!**

**And just to sort out any confusion, this is Post HSM2, if you couldn't deduce that. It's a little vague. This starts out Troyella and Chaylor, but then progresses to Ryella, Troypay, Chaylor, and Jelsi. It takes a while, though, because anyone who knows me knows I like my stories long. Oh, and for some reason, I wrote it in a way that if you hadn't seen much of the movies, you'd know what was going on.**

**About the "Chapter" notation, it's just a way to denote whose POV is going on. If it's confusing, I'll stop. I don't own HSM or anything else that I might have referenced. (I think there's a reference to Return to Halloweentown in there somewhere, which I don't own.)**

**Samantha.**


	2. Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

**Chapter Five - Usurpers  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay sat down in Music class with Ryan, the first class they'd had together all day. Sharpay didn't think it intelligent to have a music class right after lunch, as she was saying to Ryan.

"But Shar, if you hadn't gotten a D in Algebra One twice, you'd be in PreCal with Kelsi, and you wouldn't have to take first period Algebra One," Ryan said.

"Yes, but then I'd be in Gym right now," said Sharpay. "And everyone knows that gym shouldn't be had right after lunch." She thought about what she had said, realized it wasn't proper grammar and decided to ignore it, while Ryan explained that she would be in psychology every other day. She looked around the room and was relieved to see that Gabriella was not in her music class. Ms. Darbus entered the room and gave the same announcement for the auditions, to which Sharpay became even more excited. She would have to start working on audition scenes for herself and Ryan. She had leaned over to ask him what he thought they should do, when Ms. Darbus started the vocal warm-ups.

It was a well-known fact at East High that no one was better at singing than Sharpay Evans. And even if some thought that Gabriella Montez was better, they didn't dare express this to Sharpay, for those who inflicted the wrath of Sharpay didn't live very much longer. As Sharpay was singing, she realized that singing with Troy over the summer had been much more exhilarating than twelve years of singing with Ryan. Maybe it was a good thing that she never got to ask Ryan what scene they ought to do. She contemplated how hurt her brother would be if she told him she was going to audition with Troy. Then again, she thought, there was no way she could get Troy to sing with her again, could she? She thought as she sang the warm-ups, and then Ms. Darbus handed them each the music they would be singing in the concert. Sharpay smirked as she realized it was mostly music that Kelsi had composed. She thought of how Kelsi and Ryan had worked together with Gabriella and Troy to bring her talent show down from within. She decided that wouldn't happen again. She would audition with Ryan, and perhaps have a little chat with Ms. Darbus about her male lead.

Ms. Darbus called her and Ryan to the front of the class to demo what the songs were supposed to sound like. The tape rolled, and Sharpay and Ryan danced and sang to You are the Music in Me, Humuhumunukunukua'pua'a, and What I've been Looking For, as the class watched in what Sharpay hoped was awe.

**Chapter Six - Explosions  
(Chad)**

As the physics teacher detailed the theorems they would be using that semester, Chad looked around his lab table. There was Troy, his best friend since kindergarten. When they were younger, they used to pretend they were brothers, and they practically were. Jason and Zeke, his basketball buddies were there, and so was Kelsi, the girl who wrote songs. He didn't know her very well, but he knew that she, along with Ryan, had put Troy and Gabriella's relationship back on track, along with some help from himself and Taylor.

Taylor was Chad's girlfriend, they had met over the singing controversy the winter before. They had plotted to make Troy and Gabriella forget about each other and singing and just focus on their own respective teams. They had felt bad afterwards, and helped them win their respective championships, and get the parts in the musical. They had been dating ever since.

The teacher came around to their lab table and showed them how to perform the experiment they were attempting. It was a review from Chemistry the year before. Chad and Troy quickly took over the experiment while the other three looked on. When the teacher gave them permission to begin, Chad and Troy immediately blew up the entire experiment.

"Good job," said Kelsi, applauding.

"No, it wasn't, they blew it up," said Jason. Everyone groaned while Kelsi explained sarcasm to him again, and the teacher cleaned up the broken glass and spilled chemicals.

"Okay, let's try this again," said Troy. He was always quick to overcome a challenge. Chad could tell that Troy was disappointed that Gabriella was not in their class, as she would know what to do. Chad knew that that would have a negative effect as well, for instance, Troy and Gabriella would partner, leaving Chad without a partner, save for the piano girl. (He was wrong, though.) The teacher reset the experiment, made sure his goggles, and everyone else's, were secure, and then gave Troy and Chad the go-ahead again. This time the experiment went smoothly, and their table was given an eight and a half out of ten, the deduction having to do with the explosion the first time.

**Chapter Seven – Musical Summer  
(Troy)**

When the bell rang to end Physics, Troy was relieved. He packed up his stuff, returned his goggles to the shelf, and sped off to the Foreign Language Department. The rest of his buddies followed, as all of the senior level Foreign Language courses were held at the same time. He was particularly excited for Spanish class, because it was the only class he had with Gabriella all day. He saw Sharpay and Ryan heading into the French classroom and smirked. He could tell they had just been singing, Sharpay was giving Ryan notes about his performance.

Troy entered the classroom and sat down in his usual seat next to Gabriella. He remembered singing with Sharpay, with all the grueling hours of rehearsal, and how much basketball he had needed to play to get his mind off of it. Soon, the teacher was passing out the textbooks to the very small amount of students who had stuck with Spanish through to Spanish IV. He saw Martha energetically waving at him and waved back. He turned back to Gabriella to tell her about the exploded experiment, but the teacher interrupted him. He told them to break into pairs and to do the first exercise in chapter one. Troy was relieved to have Gabriella as a partner after all of the other partners he had had all day.

Gabriella began talking to him in Spanish and Troy looked at her. She was still wearing the T necklace he had given her as a promise gift on the last day of school. They had lasted the entire summer, not counting those four days that no one talked about. He smiled as he wrote down his answers to the questions in the exercise. He struggled with Spanish, but Gabriella was fluent, and he really couldn't see why she continued in the classes. He began to ask her questions in Spanish, and she wrote down answers. They compared answers when they were all finished.

"Question: How was your summer? Answer: Very good, thank you. Well, that's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?" he said to her, as she laughed.

"Question: Name one interesting thing that happened over the summer? Answer: I kissed Gabriella. Now, is that the only interesting thing that happened all summer?" Gabriella asked. Troy raised his eyebrows. "Come on, we worked at a country club, we went to the movies, we sang in a talent show, you made lots of friends over at the U of A." Troy smiled and laughed.

"I think the most interesting part was seeing you everyday," he said, kissing her hand.

"Well, thank you, perfect gentleman. But really, I think this summer was the best one I've ever had, especially being in one place the entire time," she said.

The teacher walked over and collected their papers, and handed out the homework exercise. They concluded the class with a little Spanish Sing-Along, which included la Bamba, and Feliz Navidad, which seemed a little out of place.

When the bell rang to end the class, Troy packed up and walked Gabriella to Physics. Then he ran, so as not to be late for History. When he arrived, he sat down next to Kelsi.

"What do you mean you've composed all of the music for our winter musical?" he asked her. "Don't you mean Sharpay's winter musical?"

"I've composed a set for Sharpay, and a set for you guys. She would have made me do it anyway," she added, after Troy made a surprised face. "The songs are along the same lines as the ones we sang during the summer, but with a more scripted air. But the Fall Play should be interesting. I hear that there are two leading couples." This surprised Troy. "Should be interesting to see who gets cast, shouldn't it?" said Kelsi, winking. Troy nodded as the teacher began passing out the history texts. Taylor, who was sitting behind Kelsi, began asking questions about the objectives of the course. Troy zoned out. The course was titled World History, and that was already too much information for him. After the Evans-filled morning, he was happy to get away from them for a while.

Troy began remembering the Winter Musical and how angry Sharpay had gotten. Troy had never seen her as angry as she had been after he and Gabriella had gotten the parts of Minnie and Arnold, and Troy had known her since kindergarten. Troy cast his mind around, trying to remember if she had ever been so angry, and had come to the conclusion of no, when he thought of something. Something he had never told anyone. Ever. Not even Chad.

Troy _had_ seen Sharpay even madder than he had seen her that afternoon. And Troy was thankful that he had not been the boy she had taken it out on this time.

**Chapter Eight – Disconcertion  
(Ryan)**

Ryan was sitting in Physics class, the only class he had with Gabriella. He couldn't comprehend how he had gotten into one of her classes, when she was usually in the advanced class. He had snagged a seat as her partner, and they were enjoying the review of chemistry. Ryan wasn't very good at Chemistry, but Gabriella was, so Ryan knew that if he partnered with her, he would get a good grade. After the Music and French class fiascoes, Ryan was glad to have a Sharpay-less class.

As Gabriella expertly performed the experiment, Ryan remembered the staff baseball game that Gabriella had invited him to at the country club over the summer. The entire game, he was trying to convince Chad to dance, and the game turned into a musical number. Afterwards, Gabriella and Taylor helped him and Chad plan their number, as Troy was still at Basketball practice with the Redhawks. Ryan ended up going to Gabriella's house afterwards.

Ryan began reading the notes off the board and copying them into his notebook. Gabriella smiled at him.

"That's how I taught you to take notes," she said. Ryan nodded.

"It's very effective. It helped me pass Algebra Two. I'm in Geometry, now, but you probably knew that, since I'm in Troy's class. Sharpay didn't pass again, and she's still in Algebra One," Ryan said. He laughed at the thought of Sharpay's tantrum when she got her grades in the mail just to see that D again.

"Oh, geez," said Gabriella. "Maybe you should teach her how to take notes."

"I tried, twice, and she just frowned at me and insisted she could do it by herself," said Ryan.

"You should try telling her if she worries too much, she'll get frown lines," said Gabriella. Ryan and Gabriella both laughed, because they both knew Ryan told Sharpay this constantly. Gabriella looked at the front of Ryan's notebook, which was now closed. "Look what Sharpay wrote: 'I know what you're up to'. Well, that seems rather disconcerting."

"Oh, that's nothing," said Ryan, hurriedly erasing the note. "Just a little note she wrote me this summer." He was lying. Sharpay had written that in homeroom that morning. Ryan had stopped Sharpay from interfering with Troy and Gabriella's relationship. As much as he liked Gabriella, he knew that she was much better off with Troy, and he knew that Troy was _much_ better off without Sharpay, no matter how he, Ryan, felt about Gabriella.

Ryan knew that he was flirting a little with Gabriella, and he thought that she was flirting back, but he also knew that she was very happy with Troy. That T necklace she wore served as a reminder to him everyday what he was letting himself fall into.

As the bell rang to signal that everyone was to return to Homeroom, he walked alongside Gabriella, and thought about how mixed up their lives all were, and about Gabriella's mother's brownies. They were, in fact, the best brownies in the entire world. He remembered the morning after, when Troy found him and Gabriella dancing next to the pool. How Troy had suspected something, he was sure of it, but then let it go after Ryan had fixed everything. Ryan also remembered talking to Mr. Fulton, the manager of the country club, to see what he could do about saving Gabriella's job there. Most of this had to be done behind Sharpay's back, of course, because if she ever found out about Ryan's secret feelings for Gabriella, she wouldn't rest until the whole school knew it, and Ryan knew that that would lead to no good.

Ryan sat down in his seat behind his sister, next to Gabriella in Homeroom, still thinking hard. He remembered the auditions were coming up for the fall play. He thought briefly about stepping aside and letting Troy and Gabriella have the lead roles, when Ms. Darbus brought him back to earth.

"And this year's Fall Play will have two lead couples, Keith and Stacey, and Brian and Amanda, so we will need plenty of auditions," Ms. Darbus was saying. Ryan immediately felt better. He thought he saw Kelsi shrug to Troy in an "I told you so" way. Sharpay raised her hand.

"But Ms. Darbus, there can't possibly be _two_ leading couples. As the co-president of the drama club, I did not approve that play!" she exclaimed. Ryan thought about his co-presidency with Sharpay, and decided what had to be done.

"Ms. Darbus, as the other co-president of the Drama Club, I think having two leading couples is a great idea," he said, prepared for the worst to happen, for he knew it was coming.

**Chapter Nine – Two Leading Couples?  
(Sharpay)**

"What?!" she exclaimed. She was in shock. She had never heard her brother disagree with her ever, at least not about something as huge as the Fall Play.

"That's right, sis, I'm sure Ms. Darbus has picked an amazing play this year, and I can't wait to read it," Ryan said. He looked lucid enough to Sharpay, but then her eyes fell on Gabriella reading a book in the desk next to where Ryan was calmly sitting.

"Oh, so that's what it is. Okay, Ms. Darbus, sure. I can't wait to read your play," she said, returning to her seat. She sat there calmly until the bell rang. When it did, she got up and walked out of the classroom. She then stormed to her pink glittery locker. She banged it open to find everything in the same place as that morning. She pushed past her pile of yearbooks, her extra set of clothes, her stack of newspapers with headlines concerning herself, and her very dusty pile of Algebra One papers, until she got to the thing she wanted. Her scripts. She kept every script from every production she had ever been in. Taped to each script was a DVD of the performance. The older scripts had VHS tapes underneath them. She emptied her backpack onto the shelf of her locker, and filled it with all the scripts and movies. She then slammed her locker to find Ryan behind the door.

"What was that?!" she asked him. She was absolutely furious with him.

"What was what?" he said.

"What was that bit in the classroom back there? How do you get off with letting a play go through with TWO leading couples? You know Troy and Gabriella are going to weasel their way into it!" Sharpay yelled, as they walked to Room 121, where the Drama Club met everyday after school.

"Isn't that what you want?" yelled Ryan, so loudly it surprised Sharpay a little. "I thought you wanted to star opposite with Troy Bolton! That's what you said to me, that's what you said this summer, before I stepped in and 'ruined' your talent show. And then what do you do? You go and give me the Star Dazzle award! How does that make sense?" He had yelled all the way into the classroom, and was now yelling at a shocked Sharpay, who was sitting on a couch. "Wow," he added, "how do you yell like this all the time?" Sharpay smiled. Ryan was a little slow, but he would catch on. Her plan was perfect.

**A/N: Random mystery ending. –smiley– Thanks for reading, please review!! And I don't own HSM or anything else I referenced. And honestly, this does get better, if you don't particularly think it's good so far. Next update includes a plot twist, and the one after that is one of my favorites! So, keep reading. Really. You won't regret it. And, if you review you won't regret it even more.  
**

**Samantha.**


	3. Chapters 10, 11, 12, 13

**Chapter Ten – Recruit!  
(Taylor)**

The Chemistry lab where Taylor and Gabriella were sitting, was empty, but for them. They were planning the year's chemistry, decathlon, and math teams.

"So, we've got to recruit, recruit, recruit," Taylor was saying. "We don't have enough kids left, once you subtract all the seniors that graduated. We'll need to have a booth at the involvement fair." This was the thing Taylor dreaded the most each year. The involvement fair was always outside in the bright sun, and you had to sit there while every freshman in the school cycled around the tables. The fair was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, just three days away. Taylor wondered if they could do it.

"So, we'll do the involvement fair. Shouldn't be too difficult, right? I'll make some posters tomorrow, and you can book us the booth. We'll both staff the table," Gabriella said. Taylor groaned. "Hey, you have to help, we're all in this together, right?"

"I guess," responded Taylor, who knew that they really needed new people. The new school year always brought issues with involvement, hence the fair. Gabriella had helped so much with the Open House, which was basically an involvement fair, but with parents and students, in the Spring. It had been inside, so it wasn't nearly as bad as she knew the involvement fair would be. "I suppose we had better go and check on the team," she said, after a while.

"But you told them we have today off," Gabriella said, confused.

"Not our team, the basketball team. They'll probably be almost done with practice now, it's almost four-thirty," said Taylor, leading the way back out into the hallway. They stopped at their lockers on the way, and Taylor took her old chemistry book out of her bag, and put it in her locker. Now that she was in Physics, she wouldn't be needing it daily. She closed her locker, and saw Gabriella a little ways off at her own locker. She was looking at the picture of herself and Troy. "You're a very lucky girl, you know that," said Taylor. Gabriella looked up at her, confused. "Not everyone can knock Troy Bolton off his feet and keep him there. Especially not for nine months." Gabriella and Troy's nine month anniversary was Saturday. "Not even Sharpay," said Taylor. Gabriella smiled, evidently thinking of that summer.

"Especially not Sharpay," she said, defiantly. She closed her locker.

**Chapter Eleven – Backstory  
(Troy)**

The team had just finished practice (and showering) when Gabriella and Taylor showed up outside the gym. Troy and Chad greeted them, as usual.

"So, as I was saying, we have just one roster spot to fill, and I'm thinking we could just bring someone up from JV. What do you think, captain?" said Chad. Troy thought. There was only one way to get the best team possible.

"No, we'll have open tryouts, including the guys from JV, whoever is the best will get the spot. That's the only way to get the best team," said Troy. Chad nodded. "So, ready? I'm thinking pizza today." He took Gabriella by the hand and escorted her down the hall. He heard Chad and Taylor behind them. When they exited the school, the foursome made plans to meet at the Pizza Place in ten minutes. Troy and Gabriella got into Troy's truck. Gabriella called her mom to tell her where they were going, and when they hoped to be back.

Troy thought about Gabriella as he drove, and how lucky he was to have her. He had never been this happy in a relationship, nor had he ever had one that had lasted this long before.

"Earlier, Taylor and I were talking, and she said that I was a lucky girl, and that not everyone could knock you off your feet and keep you there, especially not for nine months, and especially not Sharpay. She was talking about this summer, right?" Gabriella asked him, tentatively. Troy thought about his answer, and it made him a little sick.

"Look, Gabriella, there's something I never told anyone, not even Chad, okay? There's a whole story involved, and I just want to say before we start, that I love you more than I've ever loved anyone or anything before, including basketball, okay?" said Troy. Gabriella nodded. Troy sighed. "Okay. Back when we were all freshmen, this high school was a very different place. Taylor was part of Sharpay's singing posse, and Ryan was on the golf team. I know, it was really different. So, one day, Sharpay asked me out–" There was a small gasp from Gabriella. "–and I said yes. We went out for a while freshman year, and not many knew about it, but some of the few who did were Ryan and Taylor." There was a pause while Troy parked the truck. "We went out for five or so months, and she gave me a really expensive watch for Valentine's Day. That's when I realized things were getting really serious, really fast and I tried to break up with her, but, you know, she's Sharpay. Eventually, I enlisted the help of Ryan, and together we managed to make her listen to me, and I told her I wanted out, and she told me, and this is a direct quote, 'You'll never be rid of me, Troy Bolton. You can run, but you can't hide, and you can even try to take Ryan, but you can never succeed, and one day, you will be all mine again.' And that was the last day Ryan played sports. We stopped associating, and until about nine months ago, I felt that she was going to win one of these days. And then a wonderful thing happened. And you know what that was? I met you. I met you, and I fell in love, and I never want to be without you, ever. Okay?" Gabriella nodded again, and made to get out of the truck. "Wait, there's more. This summer, when Sharpay kept following me, and making me sing with her, I was really scared. I was scared that what she said would come true. I tried to ignore it, but everyday it grew stronger, and I knew that she would win. And then you left, and I was sure that you were gone forever, and that Sharpay had won. I went out to the golf course to clear my head, and realized that I couldn't let her win. So I turned down all her offers, even if it meant no scholarship, and then you came back, with some help from Ryan, I hear, and it made me so happy, that I thought I would melt right there on the stage. After our kiss that night, I knew all I ever wanted was you, and that no crazy, left-handed, singing, blonde person could take that from us. And I need to know that you understand." Gabriella nodded again.

"But why didn't you tell me all this before?" she asked.

"I'm getting to that part. After the show, after the staff party, when everyone made up again, and it seemed like Sharpay had been thwarted once again, she came up to me and said, 'You may have won this time, Troy Bolton, but you will not succeed in the end. And I promise you that I will not rest until we are together once more, like we were that night on the boat. And I know that someday you'll tell Gabriella all of this, and she'll be all angry at me and whatever, but I want you to remember this. I will always be with you, wherever you go, and when Gabriella finally dumps you for good, probably for some loser, I will be here for you. And every moment, I will be there.' And I was really creeped, right? And she looked at me, grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed me right there on the pool deck." Gabriella was speechless. There was a pause. "And I pushed her off of me, and told her that all I want is you, Gabriella, and that her kiss meant nothing to me, and even if you and me break up when I tell you this, I will never, ever go out with her again, and she can just forget about it. I love you, Gabriella, and no member of the Evans family can take that from us, do you understand me? This is very important. Do you understand what I'm saying? I love you. That is a very big commitment. I love you. Do you understand?" Troy was finally finished with his story.

**Chapter Twelve – We're Even  
(Gabriella)**

There was a long pause after Troy finished recanting his story about Sharpay. Gabriella couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sharpay and Troy had dated? Sharpay was determined to get him eventually? And there she was in the middle of all this.

"Of course I understand Troy, and I love you too. And I never want to be with anyone but you, and no member of the Evans family can take that away from us. But I have one question. How did I not know all this? I was there all summer. How did I miss this big kiss between you and Sharpay? Oops, that's two questions." Gabriella giggled, and looked at Troy for answers.

"You didn't know because I didn't tell you, because I was ashamed, and I never told anyone, not even Chad, and no one that knew at the time told anyone ever, until you and Taylor were talking today. And I'm _really_ sorry I didn't tell you about the big kiss, but I knew that we had to rebuild our relationship, and kissing Sharpay was definitely not the way to do that. And also, I was a little upset about you and Ryan at the time, but I didn't really want to bring that up either," said Troy.

"Well, I guess we're even then," said Gabriella. She leaned over and kissed Troy on the cheek. "We should probably get in there, Taylor and Chad are waiting for us." She and Troy entered the Pizza Place, and found their usual booth already half-filled.

"Hey, Troy, Gabriella," said Taylor. "We wondered if you were ever going to come inside." Chad nodded as Gabriella and Troy sat down. They ordered drinks and pizza from the waiter. "So, Chad and I were just talking about how you guys have a spot to fill on the basketball team, and I was saying that I couldn't think of anyone. Can you?" Taylor said to them.

"Um, I thought we were just going to have tryouts," said Troy while Gabriella thought fast. She could think of one person. She knew that he wouldn't want to be on the team and she knew that Chad and Troy wouldn't like the idea, but she also knew that he was really good at sports, including basketball. She contemplated her idea, as the boys argued about boys on the JV team. Finally, she spoke.

"What about Ryan Evans?" she asked.

**Chapter Thirteen – Ha  
(Chad)**

About ten seconds of ringing silence followed these words. Taylor and Troy looked at each other. Chad burst out laughing.

"Sure, he can bring it to the baseball diamond, and the golf course, but the b-ball court? Get serious," said Chad. Chad had never seen any proof that Ryan was good at basketball.

"Actually," said Troy, "he can play really well. He played with us freshman year, remember? Oh, no, you weren't there, never mind. He can play really well, though, I remember Dad saying he had real potential as a player, but then he quit to sing." Gabriella and Taylor were both frowning at him, as though this wasn't the whole story.

"What? Why are you two frowning at him like that's not the whole story?" asked Chad. He was really confused.

"Because that's not the truth," said Taylor. "Ryan didn't quit playing sports to sing, he quit because Troy broke up with Sharpay." Chad looked at Troy with his classic Chad face, begging Troy that this not be true. "It's true, Chad, freshman year, things were really different, you might remember. You didn't play sports, Ryan did, and I was sort of in Sharpay's singing posse." Chad racked his brains for any memory of this, and he didn't have a single one, besides the ones of him not playing sports freshman year.

"Yeah, but I didn't play because of my elbow injury. I fell down the stairs in the café and I broke my arm. And what does all this have to do with Troy and Sharpay? Did all of you know this?" Chad asked. They all nodded. "Even Gabriella?" They all nodded again. "Wow, you sure miss a lot when you break your arm. So what happened?" As Troy quickly recounted the story with a little help from Taylor, Chad mulled it all over.

"Wow," he finally said. The pizza was served, and they all dug in. "I mean, how many people in the East High student body can say all of that happened to them? Not many, I have to say."

"Look, Sharpay, Ryan, and us are the only people left at East High that know. You can't go blabbing this about, understand?" Troy asked. Everyone nodded.

**A/N: Whoa…plot twist. Did everyone see that coming? I figured as much. Oh well. I don't own HSM, or anything else I might have referenced, although the name of the restaurant "the Pizza Place" I did come up with, so maybe I own that, but I don't think so.**

**In no way do I like Troyella. Getting them really _really_ deep into their relationship before breaking them up is for my own personal amusement. Did I mention that posting this (pre-written) stuff has made my inspiration for writing this story reappear? Did I mention that reviews make that even more so? I didn't? Oh, well. I did now.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading and please review!!**

**Samantha.**

**PS, did anyone catch the reference to a watch and think "Oh, so _that's_ why he doesn't wear a watch"? You didn't? Go and read it again then. Congrats for those who did.**


	4. Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17

**Chapter Fourteen – Diary  
(Ryan)**

Ryan and Sharpay had just gotten home, driven in Sharpay's pink corvette. Ryan had gone straight to his bedroom. He took his notebook out of his backpack. He was determined to get good grades and earn his way into college, instead of buying his way in like Sharpay was planning to do. He organized all his notes from his classes, and filed them into folders. He labeled the folders and put them all in a binder. The music folder was unsurprisingly empty. He flipped to the Physics folder, and remembered Gabriella. He wondered if she had just been being nice, or if she really _had_ been flirting with him. He knew that she was a particularly nice individual. She was probably the nicest girl he knew, but that revelation didn't surprise him. He had grown up with Sharpay.

Ryan booted up his laptop, and opened the Word application. He opened his saved file "Niceties 2007" and began to write. He wrote everything that had happened that day, with particular emphasis on the Gabriella parts, and his thoughts in Physics class. After he was done, he scrolled up almost to the top, to the entry in which he first wrote about Gabriella. About how well she sang, about the way her hair smelled, everything. He read it. He realized the hostile tone he had taken. He kept reading the parts with Gabriella through a month's worth of entries, until the February 14th entry. Valentine's Day, the day of the night that he had performed opposite Gabriella in the Twinkle Towne Musicale. That was the night that all his hostility gave way to other feelings, almost loving feelings. He kept reading, through four more months of entries. It took him the better part of an hour and a half, but he kept reading until he got to the entries about Gabriella at the Lava Springs Country Club. The entry about the country club dance almost brought tears to his eyes.

Every year, Lava Springs had a dance, and Sharpay and Ryan sang a number or two. Everyone had dates, and there were old people, and young people. Ryan had invited the Wildcats, and they came in abundance, all in pairs. When Ryan had had reservations about the dancing, (Sharpay didn't approve of slow songs and dances) Gabriella had taken him for a dance around the floor. That was the night he had kissed her hand for the second time, the first being the day of the final rehearsal for Everyday.

Ryan saved this file, and created a new document. He began the document with "Dear Gabriella". He wrote for a while and ended with "Yours Truly, Ryan". He saved the document as "Letter to Gabriella" with the date and time in a folder on his computer filled with them. He wrote letters to Gabriella every so often, telling her how he felt. He knew he could never ever give her one of them, because she just didn't feel the same way.

He was thinking about how pathetic his life was when a voice came from the door. "What have you been doing? You've been up here for hours." It was Sharpay. Ryan quickly exited the application and closed his laptop.

"Nothing, Shar, as usual," Ryan replied. He got up and walked toward her. "What's up?"

"Well, Mother says the chef has dinner ready, and then we have to pick out our scenes for the audition. I brought home all of our scripts, along with the videos of our performances," said Sharpay. As they descended the stairs to the dining room, the phone rang. "I got it!" Sharpay yelled down the stairs, and picked up the phone from the hook on the stairs. "Hello? Oh, hi, Troy. Not much, how are you? You want to talk to Ryan? Well, okay. Here." She frowned and handed the phone to Ryan as they entered the dining room.

"Hello?" said Ryan to the phone, a bit wary of why Troy was calling for him.

"Hey," said Troy. "Listen, I know you haven't played any basketball since Sharpay and I broke up, but we've got a spot open on the roster, and we'd really like you to come and try out." Ryan was shocked. He hadn't played any sports except for the one baseball game that summer since Troy and Sharpay had broken up. Everyone said that he had quit to sing. Not many knew the truth.

"Um, are you sure you really want me to try out? I'm not that great, and plus Sharpay would get really mad," Ryan said.

"I remember my dad saying that you had real potential and that it was a real shame you quit to sing. And that's also why he had real reservations about me singing at first," said Troy. "And don't worry. It's easy to manage both basketball and singing. So, will you at least try out?"

"Okay, I'll try out, but no promises, Troy, okay? Okay." Ryan hung up the phone and set it down on the table. His parents, Sharpay, and the butler were all staring at him. He frowned at the butler, who left. "That was Troy Bolton. He wants me to try out for his basketball team. They have an open spot on the team. Varsity."

**Chapter Fifteen – Promises  
(Sharpay)**

"What?!" said Sharpay. "Are you actually going to try out?"

"Yeah, I think I will," said Ryan. Sharpay looked shocked. Their parents nodded their approval of his plan, and dug into the chicken, broccoli, and cheese that was for dinner. Sharpay was very shocked, because on the day that she had broken up with Troy, he had vowed never to play sports again. Well, of course, Sharpay made him take this vow. The true wording was "Until Troy is mine again, you shall never play sports again." She was really shocked that he had apparently either forgotten this, or was choosing to ignore it.

"But what about us? What about your promise? Your promise to me, to the drama club, to Wiggles?" said Sharpay. They had made their vow over Ryan's most prized possession at the time, a stuffed green monkey named Wiggles. Ryan looked up from his dinner.

"Shar, I sang with you for two and a half years. I sang with you for nine, before that. But this summer I realized something. During those two and half years, you did nothing, _nothing!_ to try and get Troy back until Gabriella came along and you got _jealous_," said Ryan. "For two and a half years, you sat idly by and watched Troy play basketball, and you did nothing to advance your plan to get him back. As for the drama club, I can still be in the club and play basketball, Troy said we could work something out. And as for Wiggles, that sad little monkey is a memory of a fifteen-year-old boy, with nothing else to live for. Well, now I'm seventeen, and I have something better to live for."

"Ryan, I did what I did this summer for both of us. You were _jealous_ too. You love Gabriella, and the thing you want the most in this world is to be with her, and to have Troy _not_ be with her," said Sharpay. She knew she was right. "Admit it Ryan, you know I'm right, and it hurts you everyday to see that T necklace and you wish every single time you see her that you could just rip it off of her and kiss her right then and there, and it hurts you to know that you can't do anything about it. Well, I'm doing something about it."

"Maybe that is how I feel about her, but that is definitely not the way you feel about Troy," said Ryan, his voice now raised.

"Well, then how do I feel, Mr. Smarty Pants?" asked Sharpay, her voice also raised. "That's right. You don't know how I feel. I think you should admit your feelings for Gabriella, right here in the dining room, with Mother and Daddy as witnesses. Say you love her. Do it. You can't, can you?" She looked at him expectantly for a few seconds, and when nothing came out, she laughed. "You don't love her at all, do you? You just play her, and string her along until one day you can finally–"

"I love Gabriella Montez. Okay? I love her more than I've ever loved anything ever, including money, dancing, and my peach hat. I love her more than anyone has ever loved her before and no one can take that away from me," yelled Ryan at the top of his voice. He paused a moment and brought his volume down. "Not even Troy Bolton."

"Ha!" said Sharpay. "So it is true. I've been saying it all along, but does anyone listen to me, no! Well, here's the proof."

"Shar, please don't tell Gabriella what I said. I love her so much, but I see the way she looks at Troy, and while being about 80 percent jealous, the other 20 percent of me really just wants her to be happy. I love her. I love her." Ryan whispered the last three words, and got up from the table, and ran back up the stairs to his room. Sharpay heard the door slam.

"Was all of that really necessary, Sharpay?" Sharpay's mother asked her.

"Yes, Mother, everything I do is necessary," Sharpay said, vindictively.

"But you've reduced your poor brother to tears," said Sharpay's father.

"Really?" Sharpay listened and could just make out sobs through the ceiling. Sharpay laughed. "I didn't know I could do that. Anyways, thanks for the lovely dinner, and conversation, but I have scenes to rehearse and auditions to plan." Sharpay got up from the table and walked up the stairs. At the top, there were three doors, one that led to Ryan's room, one that led to her own room, and one that led to a rehearsal room. She could hear the music blasting in Ryan's room. She thought she recognized it as Kelsi's instrumental version of You Are the Music in Me. She knocked on Ryan's door, and when he didn't hear her, she entered anyways. There was Ryan lying on the bed, crying. Sharpay went to his side, and adjusted the volume on his speakers. "Ryan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, well, yes, I did, but I'm still sorry."

Ryan looked at her. "I don't care how much you're sorry. You made me realize my life sucks. Go away." Sharpay left his room without another word.

**Chapter Sixteen – Complex Emotions  
(Gabriella)**

Troy had dropped Gabriella off at her house earlier that night, and now she was sitting at her computer. She had changed into her pajamas, and had eaten dinner. She stared at the computer's desktop background. It was a picture of her, Troy, and Ryan. It had been taken at the Talent Show. Sharpay had been "accidentally" cut out of the picture. Gabriella smiled to see her own smiling face staring back at her. She looked at Troy's face and kept smiling. Looking at Ryan's, however, brought up a completely different emotion.

Gabriella remembered two nights when she looked at his face. She remembered the night he had driven her home after the staff baseball game. And she remembered the night of the cast party for the Winter Musical.

_It had been held at Ms. Darbus's house, late at night after the last show. Gabriella and Troy had shone brilliantly as Minnie and Arnold. They had received big bouquets of roses along with Kelsi and Ms. Darbus. The cast party had found Gabriella sitting in Ms. Darbus's living room drinking orange soda. Sharpay was talking to Ms. Darbus about the Spring Musical in the dining room, and Troy was helping himself to the kitchen. The other various cast members mingled about. Ryan sat down next to Gabriella, holding a cup of root beer._

"_You know, Gabriella," Ryan had said, "I had a lot of fun singing with you last night. I thought it might be weird, seeing as it's you and it's me, but it was a lot of fun, and I hope that we can do it again some time."_

"_I had fun too, Ryan," she had said back to him. "I look forward to doing this again sometime."_

"_So, yesterday was Valentine's Day," Ryan had said. "The Drama Club usually gives its members something special, but you didn't hang around long enough." Ryan had handed her a box. She had opened it to find a gorgeous bracelet._

"_Oh, Ryan, this is beautiful, but I can't accept it," she had said._

"_But it's not from me, it's from the club. And you don't have to wear it," Ryan had said._ Gabriella looked at the bracelet that she was wearing at that moment. It was that one. She had worn it almost everyday since. She didn't think very much of it, after all, the club had given Troy a very handsome belt buckle that he wore quite often. Gabriella thought hard, and she thought she could remember Sharpay wearing an identical bracelet.

Gabriella got up and went to her dresser. She looked at her Twinkle Towne Program that the entire cast had autographed. Sharpay's signature took up most of the page. There was Troy's, and her own, and Ms. Darbus's, and there at the very bottom, as if just barely squished on the page was Ryan's.

Gabriella could not contemplate why she was thinking of Ryan so much at that very moment. She tried to put him out of her head. She looked at the clock. It was eight-thirty. She picked up her phone and dialed Troy's number.

He answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Troy, it's me, Gabriella," said Gabriella.

"Oh, hey Gabs, listen, I called Ryan earlier and told him about the basketball thing and he says he'll try out. That was a really great idea you had," Troy said.

"Um, Troy, I called because I just had to ask you one more time, and please be honest with me," Gabriella said. "Do you still have feelings for Sharpay?" There was a silence on the other end of the phone. Then she heard Troy laugh.

"Of course not. No, Gabriella, I don't still have feelings for Sharpay. She's crazy, and controlling, and that's not a part of my life I'd like to relive. I love _you_, Gabriella," Troy said. Gabriella was relieved.

"Thank you, Troy. That's what I wanted to hear. I love you too. Good night," she said. She hung up the phone and sat down next to her reading lamp and opened her calculus book. She couldn't say what had brought on the urge to ask him that so suddenly, but she knew it had something to do with Ryan. To ease her mind, Gabriella picked up her phone again and dialed Ryan.

Ryan answered his phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ryan, it's me, Gabriella. Listen, I know we didn't get to talk much today, but I wanted to tell you, that I think it's great that you're going to try out for Troy's team. I think you'll do really well," she said.

**Chapter Seventeen**** – More Promises  
(Ryan)**

Ryan wiped most of his tears on his pillowcase and tried to sound like he hadn't been crying for the last ten minutes. "Yeah," he said, "Sharpay's not too happy about it, but I think it would be a lot of fun."

"I'm sure you'll have lots of fun," Gabriella said. "It takes a lot of nerve to stand up to Sharpay."

"I actually yelled at her twice today," Ryan said, laughing in spite of himself. "I never would have thought it possible if not for you." Ryan smiled, but he knew that Gabriella couldn't see him.

"Wow," said Gabriella. "So, I'll see you tomorrow in homeroom?"

"Yeah," said Ryan. "I guess I'll see you then." They hung up and Ryan felt more elated than he had all day. Gabriella had called him up on the phone. She had hardly ever done that before, but when she did, he always felt better. He looked around his room to see his sister standing in the doorway. "What do _you_ want?" he said, glowering at her through the tears still shining on his face.

"I wanted to tell you that I admire what you're doing for her," said Sharpay. "And that also, I found the perfect audition scene." Ryan got up and followed Sharpay into the rehearsal room.

Inside the room, there were mirrors on three walls. The fourth wall was a covered in a cornucopia of shoes, socks, skirts, and hats. He sat down in the center of the room, while Sharpay rifled back through the scripts. She took out a DVD and put it in the television that also occupied the fourth wall. She fast forwarded, and Ryan could tell that this was from their production of _Hairspray_, freshman year. "I think it seems appropriate, considering everything else going on." Ryan watched, and it was a scene where he, as Link, and Sharpay, as Amber, were in some sort of building, telling by the set. He couldn't really tell what was going on, as the sound and picture quality were not great.

Sharpay handed him a script, and pointed to a scene about halfway through the musical. He nodded.

"That was the scene I liked the best as Link," he said. Indeed it had been, except for the part where Sharpay came in.

"Well, I think it's perfect. We can get the spotlight team to work for the auditions, and I think we just might be able to pull it off. After reading the play this afternoon, I'm sure I'm perfect for Stacey." She finished speaking and looked at Ryan expectantly, as if waiting for him to say something.

Ryan looked at her. "Yeah, Shar, it's perfect." He got up, and went back into his room. Sharpay followed him.

"What's wrong, Ryan?" said Sharpay. Ryan looked at her.

"You don't know what's wrong?" asked Ryan. She shook her head. "Well, let's recap today, alright? I went to school today feeling really good about myself and life. We came home and I was still feeling good. Are you still with me?"

"Yes, Ryan, get to the point," Sharpay said.

"Fine. The point is today has been the worst emotional roller coaster day for me, ever. Including that day when we were in New York and I got turned down for the New York City Ballet, and then they gave us backstage passes, and then you got a walk on roll in Swan Lake. That just wasn't fair. It's because you're a girl. I know it," said Ryan.

"Ryan," said Sharpay.

"Right. So, then dinner happened and you were there. You said things. I said things. We both meant them. And I really meant what I said. Do not tell Gabriella what I said or bad things will happen. I'm prophesizing it. Believe me," said Ryan.

"Okay, Ryan," said Sharpay.

"Do you understand?" said Ryan. "You're not allowed to tell Gabriella. Or Troy. You know what? Just don't tell anyone. Agreed?"

"Agreed," said Sharpay, and she walked out of his room. Ryan sighed. She wasn't going to keep her promise. He knew Sharpay, and if there was one thing she was good at, it was conveniently forgetting promises.

**A/N: Well, what do you think? Predictable? I'm telling you, it's a very overdone concept, and I'm just a slave to it. Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review!! I don't own HSM, or Hairspray, or Swan Lake, or Microsoft Word, or anything, as usual. They belong to whoever owns them. (Don't make me look it up, cuz I'm lazy.)**

**For extreme Ryan fans, I'll have you know that each "Ryan" chapter is of the "two page" variety, while "Sharpay", "Troy", and "Gabriella" chapters vary between one and two pages, and "Chad", "Taylor", and "Kelsi" chapters are always one page. I don't know why. That's how I wrote them. (Oh, and yeah, Kelsi gets a chapter.) Actually, I do know why "Ryan" chapters are longer. Because I'm hopelessly obsessed with Lucas Grabeel. (What? Isn't everyone?)**

**Um, so, yeah, thanks again for reading, and please review. I know you're reading this. Just let me know who you are!**

**Samantha. **


	5. Chapters 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

**Chapter Eighteen – Last Time  
(Troy)**

Troy looked at his wrist, and identified that the time was nine-thirty. Just ten more baskets and he had to go inside. As he finished the last shot, he hung on the hoop. He dropped to the ground. He couldn't believe he was encouraging Ryan Evans of all people to try out for the team. Troy knew, though, that he had to do what was best for his team, as the captain. He had actually thought briefly about offering the open spot to Ryan, but Troy knew Ryan, and he didn't want to scare him off.

Troy walked back into his house, closed and locked the door, and turned off the outside lights. He had talked to his dad earlier, and he had agreed that Troy had to do what was right for his team, and if Ryan was the best, he had the spot.

Troy called good night to his parents as he climbed the stairs. It was too early to sleep, but he went to his room anyway. He took his notes out of his notebook, put them in folders, labeled them, and put the folders in a binder, which he placed in his backpack for the next day. Troy wasn't counting on a Basketball scholarship just yet, and he still had to get good grades. He sat down at his computer and opened a file entitled "Senior Stats". He entered all of his Basketball stats from that day along with the date and saved it.

Troy got up and paced his room. He thought about the phone call with Gabriella earlier that night. He hadn't been lying. He wouldn't give up his relationship with Gabriella for anything. His relationship with Sharpay had been horrible, and was mostly physically based, as opposed to the one he now shared with Gabriella, which was more emotionally based. Still, no matter how happy he was with Gabriella, he couldn't help but wonder how much easier their lives would all be if he just gave into Sharpay's will.

He shook his head to clear his mind. Chad was right. Sharpay was like a mountain lion. He thought about how horrible those four days without Gabriella had been, and realized he didn't want to be with Sharpay again. It was now ten o'clock. Troy figured if he was going to eat breakfast the next morning and drive Gabriella to school, he would have to sleep at some point. He changed into his pajamas and got into bed. He turned out the lights, and the last waking thought he had that night was no matter how good things were with Gabriella, Sharpay and him had had some good times, like the night on the boat. And then he was asleep.

**Chapter Nineteen – Sharpay's Plan  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay awoke the next morning at six o'clock. She sat up immediately. She would need the entire next hour and a half to get ready for the day. She took a towel from her dresser, as well as the outfit she had picked out the night before. She went into the bathroom that she shared with Ryan. An hour later she emerged, hair perfectly styled, and very clean after the shower. She went downstairs with her backpack, still filled with the scripts and videos. She sat down at the table and ordered her breakfast from the butler. Ryan appeared at the table ten minutes later, fully dressed, but still yawning. Sharpay could tell he had taken a shower and styled his hair in just ten minutes, and she wondered how he could do it.

"Good morning," she said to him brightly. He yawned back at her. "Ready for school?" He yawned again.

"I guess so," Ryan said. Sharpay smiled. She would put her brilliant plan in to action today. "What are you up to?" asked Ryan. Sharpay scowled. She hated how her brother could always tell when she was up to no good.

"You'll see. Today, my brilliant plan goes into action. Your hair looks good, by the way. Nice spikes," she added. Ryan's hand flew to his hair. Sharpay laughed. "I'm serious." Ryan laughed nervously. They got in Sharpay's car and she drove them to school.

When they arrived, they saw Gabriella and Troy getting out of his truck. Sharpay looked at herself in the car mirrors to make sure she was perfect from every angle. She joined Ryan, Gabriella, and Troy as they walked to homeroom. When they sat down, the bell rang. Sharpay waited.

She doodled through Algebra One. She knew she should be paying attention if she wanted to pass and graduate on time, but she was much too preoccupied. In English class, the teacher passed out the book they would have to read for Monday. It was the Wizard of Oz. Sharpay just tossed it into her bag. She had starred in Wicked as G(a)linda, and therefore didn't need to read the book. She devoted the rest of the period to flirting with Troy as they discussed the questions about Oliver Twist that were written on the board. When Sharpay got to history, she took most of the class time to scowl at Gabriella. Sharpay's plan began at exactly 12:05 Mountain Daylight Time, more commonly known to the students of East High as lunchtime.

**Chapter Twenty – Oh, no!  
(Taylor)**

Taylor breathed a sigh of relief as she sat in her empty chemistry lab after school. Her day had been long, but significantly shorter than the day before. Gabriella had brushed up on Calculus and Taylor had a very Sharpay-less schedule.

Gabriella walked into the room at that moment carrying some posters. "So, I made some posters last night, to help promote the teams. I figured we could use them at the dreaded involvement fair," Gabriella said. She unrolled each poster one by one for Taylor's approval, which was given each time.

"Those are really great, Gabriella, have you ever considered an Art class?" said Taylor. They looked at each other and started laughing. Everyone knew that the East High Art classes were given at the same time as the Calculus classes. "So I booked us the table. The fair starts at one on Saturday, and we have to be there at noon to set up. Then we should be done by four, so you and Troy can have your big nine-month anniversary whatever. Sound good?"

"Sounds great, Taylor," Gabriella said. Taylor noticed the dismay in her voice.

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked her. "Come on, you can tell me anything."

"Oh, it's just Sharpay. Now that I know things used to happen between her and Troy, I've gotten a bit wary, and I've noticed her flirting with Troy more, and she scowled at me all the way through history. And something happened today at lunch, and no one will tell me what it's about, and even Ryan told me this afternoon that she was up to no good. He just doesn't know what," Gabriella explained all in a rush. Taylor looked at her poor confused face.

"Well, well, well, I thought I'd find you here," said a voice. Taylor and Gabriella wheeled around to find Sharpay in the doorway. "So it seems I've been up to no good, have I? I've got a little crush on your boy Troy, do I? Well, things aren't always as they seem, are they? I hear my little brother's got a little crush on _you_, my friend. Oh, but don't tell anyone, it's a secret!" and she left the classroom as quickly as she had appeared.

"What?" Taylor didn't understand what that had been about. Gabriella, though, got up and left the classroom, leaving Taylor speechless.

**Chapter Twenty-One – A New Ryan  
(Ryan)**

Ryan was sitting in his empty Geometry classroom, looking through the textbook. He was doing homework, and he found the classroom the best environment for doing it. He heard the door open, and looked up to see Gabriella standing there.

"Oh, hey, Gabriella, I was just doing my homework. What are you doing here?" said Ryan, utterly bewildered.

"Ryan, your sister just came into my science lab and said some stuff that I know she didn't mean. If you just tell me it's not true, I'll believe you," said Gabriella.

"Of course. What did she say?" said Ryan, still a little confused, but also a little scared.

"She said things about her and Troy, but that's not the part that confused me. She said 'I hear my little brother's got a little crush on _you_, my friend. Oh, but don't tell anyone, it's a secret.' And that's what really got me confused. So, just answer the question, Ryan. Is it true or not?" Gabriella looked at Ryan very hard, almost begging him for it to not be true.

Ryan's face fell. The worst had happened. Sharpay had broken her promise, and now Gabriella knew. "I-I'm sorry, Gabriella, I can't say it's not true, because it is. But it doesn't matter to me, because you love Troy, and that's the way things are supposed to be," Ryan said, very carefully. "I knew this would happen. I'm sorry, Gabriella, I know it probably would have been better for you to hear it from me, but I didn't want to hurt you." His eyes fell on her necklace. "Troy's a good guy, and he's so lucky to have you. And I don't mean any harm to either of you." His eyes welled again, and he turned away from her to wipe them.

"Ryan, I'm so sorry," Gabriella began.

"No, it's my fault, I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm so sorry." And this time he could not stop the tears. They flowed down his face and onto his textbook. Gabriella walked over, closed the textbook, and gave him a tissue. He dried his eyes once more. Gabriella bent down and gave Ryan a big hug. Ryan tentatively hugged her back, although not with his usual enthusiasm.

"Ryan, there's no reason to be sorry. Things aren't going to get weird between us. We'll still hang out. And you don't have to avoid me. And I won't even tell Troy," Gabriella said. Ryan looked at her.

"I really do hate Sharpay," he said. "I mean it. I told her last night not to tell anyone at least twice, and there she goes blabbing it all across the school. This is the last time. I'm not forgiving her again. I mean it," he repeated, as Gabriella opened her mouth to say something. "Tomorrow starts the new and improved Ryan, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"A new Ryan? But what happens to the old Ryan?" asked Gabriella, sitting on top of the desk next to the one where Ryan was sitting. Ryan took a long and hard look at Gabriella's necklace. He looked up into her eyes.

"I'm not going to let Sharpay get to me anymore," he said, defiantly. "If I hadn't let her get to me at dinner, none of this would ever have happened. Well, not none of it, but most of it. Gabriella, what am I going to do?"

"About what?" asked Gabriella, a little confused.

"About everything. You, Sharpay, auditions, basketball, Geometry, all of it."

"Well, I think you should do the auditions, with or without Sharpay. I think you should try out for the team, regardless of me or Sharpay, and if you ever need a little help in school, you know where to find it." She opened her arms to signal herself and they hugged again.

"Hey, Ryan, Sharpay said you'd be here. I just wanted to…Gabriella?" Troy had walked into the room. Gabriella and Ryan quickly separated. Ryan dried his tears, while Gabriella smiled at Troy.

"Hi!" she said to him. Troy looked at them and then shook his head.

"Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that tryouts are tomorrow, in the gym right after school. You'll be there, right?" Troy asked.

Ryan looked at Gabriella, who nodded. "Definitely." Ryan sat back down, and reopened his textbook. Gabriella got up from the desk she was sitting on, and followed Troy out of the room. When they had left, Ryan punched the textbook just as hard as he could. He really couldn't stand Sharpay.

**Chapter Twenty-Two – Be Wary  
(Troy)**

As Troy and Gabriella walked down the hall, Troy was trying his best to not be disturbed by what he had just witnessed, but he couldn't.

"Um, what was that, back there?" Troy asked. He had definitely always been a little wary of Ryan.

"Oh, I was just talking to Ryan. He understood all of his math, so I gave him a hug, and he was saying that he wasn't going to let Sharpay get to him anymore," Gabriella replied. Troy rolled his eyes.

"That'll be the day. He's been saying that since the fifth grade. Really," he added to the expression on Gabriella's face.

"Well, I think he really means it this time," Gabriella said. Troy rolled his eyes again. "I do! He really changed over the summer, and I believe in him."

"Gabriella, the only change I saw in him this summer, was a little more interest in school. The real change came right after we finished the Winter Musical," Troy said. He remembered back to when he and Ryan had been standing in the kitchen of Ms. Darbus's house. Troy had thanked him for choreographing, and for filling in for him when he was gone. Ryan had said that it was nothing, and that he would do it anytime. Then he had presented him with a gift box "from the club", and inside was a very handsome belt buckle. Troy looked down at his waist, and saw the belt buckle he was wearing. It was the same one. Troy stopped walking and looked at Gabriella. There was something different. "Where's your necklace?"

"Oh, the clasp is getting old, and I didn't want it to fall off, so I put it in my pocket," she said, taking it out. Troy looked at her face, and could tell that wasn't the whole truth but didn't press it. Especially not after what had happened after practice today.

_Sharpay had come into the locker room after all the boys had gone, and Troy was creating a sign up sheet for tryouts. She had cornered him, to try and get him alone again. Troy had to say she had succeeded. Sharpay had waltzed into where Troy was sitting. She planted the biggest, wettest kiss she had ever given him on his lips, and then walked out the door pausing only to say, "Oh, and Ryan's up in your Geometry classroom, if you need him."_ Troy shuddered.

**Chapter Twenty-Three – Jewelry  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella put the necklace back into her pocket and resumed walking out of the building with Troy. They stopped in the Chemistry Lab, so that she could pick up her stuff. Gabriella whispered to Taylor that they would talk later and to not say anything about it. Gabriella got into Troy's truck, and he drove her home.

On the way, she started to not feel good. She hadn't taken off the necklace because it was getting old, well, that was part of it. She had seen the way that Ryan had looked at it, and she didn't want anything to come into her friendship with Ryan, especially not something as trivial as a necklace. She looked guiltily down at the bracelet Ryan had given her and wondered if she should stop wearing that, too. She looked at Troy as he parked the car, and invited him inside.

Together, they went up to Gabriella's room. She put the necklace down on her dresser on top of her Twinkle Towne program, and she took off the bracelet and put it with it. She put her backpack down in her chair, and they went back downstairs to get themselves some food. While she prepared some healthy vegetables, Gabriella couldn't help but notice Troy watching her. She served the food, and finally he spoke.

"Where did you get that bracelet? I think I've seen you wear it everyday, for like six months, and I never thought about where you got it," said Troy.

"Why? Are you thinking about picking one up for yourself?" Gabriella asked. They both laughed. "I got it from the drama club as a Valentine's gift. I believe the same place you got the belt buckle you're wearing." Gabriella and Troy both looked at his buckle.

"Oh," said Troy. "I used to know that. Sorry." Gabriella laughed again.

"You're sorry?" Gabriella asked. Troy nodded. "Okay. Well, in that case, you're forgiven. Eat some celery." She and Troy laughed once more. Gabriella felt at ease from the growing dread of the awkwardness that was sure to spring up between her and Ryan. Ryan was a great friend, but he was nothing more to her.

When she thought back over her time at East High, she wondered why she hadn't seen it before. Ryan had liked her all along. This wasn't something new. And she should have known it as well. When she really thought about, she thought she must have, but since no one ever talked about it, it went away.

"Troy, have you ever heard the phrase, 'There's an elephant in the room'?" Gabriella asked.

"Isn't that when there's an elephant in the room, but no one wants to talk about it, because they think if they don't it will just go away?" Troy asked in response.

"Sort of," Gabriella said, "but it has more to do with there being a big issue arising that no one wants to be the first to address, like in the Emperor's New Clothes. There's an elephant in this room, Troy, and I'd like to point it out." She paused to let this sink in. "Troy, there is something going on at East High, something strange, but I want to work through it. Remember, Saturday is our nine-month anniversary."

"Yes, it is, and that's why I have something to give you," said Troy. He took a box from his pocket. He presented it to Gabriella, who opened it tentatively, hoping not to find a ring in there. Instead, it was a piece of paper, written all over on two sides. "It's the details of the anniversary I've planned." Gabriella unfolded it, and started reading. Her smile got wider and wider as she read each item. When she finished, she was practically grinning from ear to ear.

"I love it. But that's not the elephant," she said. She sighed. "Sharpay is trying to break us up." Troy nodded solemnly. "And she figures the best way to do that is to just get us angry with each other. So she's probably going to be pulling a couple stunts for a while. What we need to do as a couple is to just ignore any Sharpay-related incident for a while." Troy nodded again. Gabriella hated to lie, but at least this one was mostly true. She didn't want to tell Troy outright that Ryan had feelings for her, because she promised she wouldn't, and she really wanted Ryan to be on the basketball team, in an element where he could come out from underneath Sharpay's cloak and shine for what he really was. She owed him that, at the very least.

"Deal," said Troy. Gabriella looked back down at the sheet of paper she was holding, and realized there was something else in the box. It was a ring. Gabriella picked it up and gasped, staring at Troy. "That's a promise ring, Gabriella. I promise my heart to you, for forever and ever."

**A/N: Well, that's not originally what Troy says. He originally said "now and forever" not "forever and ever" but that's the title of the story, isn't it? Wow, Troyella's getting in deep, aren't they? Oh dear. I remember writing this and I was like "Wow, every time a write a chapter it gets harder and harder to break them up, but when I do it is going to be SO FUN!" I'm so mean. Oh, well. I don't really like Troyella at all, but it is cute.**

**Thanks for reading, please review, and I don't own HSM or the Wizard of Oz or Wicked or Oliver Twist, if I didn't mention that before, or ANYTHING!! Ever!**

**Oh, and is anyone wondering what Gabriella's up to? She's not as...innocent as she seems. She...well, I won't tell. You'll just have to wait. You could review while you're waiting, you know, if you wanted to make me happy. Or you could check out my other stories, and review those.**

**Samantha.**


	6. Chapters 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

**Chapter Twenty-Four – "I Quit!"  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay stood in her rehearsal room with Ryan. Sharpay screamed.

"What do you mean, you're not doing the auditions?" said Sharpay.

"Exactly that," Ryan replied.

"But it's a pairs audition. You need two people. A PAIR!" yelled Sharpay.

"Look, Shar, I don't like the way you've been acting lately, and I've decided to do something about it. I'll be auditioning, just not with you," Ryan explained.

"You've got no one else to audition with! Who else have you got but me?" Sharpay asked. She had a point. There really was no one else.

"I don't know yet, but there are plenty of girls willing to audition with me. Kelsi, for example, or Gabriella," he said.

"Speaking of Gabriella, how's your little bundle of love doing? I heard that she heard somewhere that you like her," said Sharpay.

"Shar, I know that was you, she told me so. And we worked things out, and we're just going to be friends. And I said that I'm not going to let you get to me anymore. And I don't intend to," and with that Ryan walked out of the rehearsal room and slammed the door. Sharpay opened it again, and followed him into his room. He appeared to be packing a bag.

"What are you doing?" asked Sharpay, with a touch of incredulity in her tone.

"I'm leaving, Sharpay. I refuse to take part in this charade any longer. I quit!"

"But you can't go! You don't have anywhere to go!" said Sharpay.

"I haven't quite figured that part out yet," said Ryan, throwing all his school books into his duffel bag. "But I know I can't stay here." He picked up his cell phone and car keys and pocketed them. "Have a nice life, sis." He took a hat from the rack, picked up his duffel and slammed the door, leaving Sharpay standing confused in a room for the third time in less than twenty-four hours. Sharpay opened the door and hurried after him, as he was already halfway down the stairs.

"But you can't go! I won't let you!" said Sharpay, but there was no way she could catch him. He was already by the door. She heard him shout goodbye to their parents, and then the door slammed. She ran back upstairs to her room, and slammed the door. She had finally done it. She had driven her brother insane. Her parents kept saying she would do it eventually. She thought and then she had a plan. She opened the door to her room, and quietly crept into Ryan's.

Sharpay sat down at Ryan's computer. She booted it up, and was pleased to see that it was not password protected. She opened up "explorer" and looked in the recent documents folder. The first document was labeled "Niceties 2007". Sharpay opened it. Her jaw dropped as she scanned page after page of electronic journal entries. She had never known what he did up here.

She closed that document, and opened a few of the ones entitled "Letter to Gabriella". What she read made her brain hurt. She closed them, and looked for anything else on her brother's computer that she could take a look at. She didn't find anything else worth reading, but she did find a couple of pictures of Gabriella and Ryan that had been taken mostly over the summer, but there was a few of the Winter Musical. Sharpay closed her brother's laptop and went downstairs. She sat at the table glumly with her head in her hands.

"Did Ryan tell you where he was going, dear?" her mother asked.

"No, mother, I don't even think he knew," Sharpay said. "Mother, daddy, Ryan might be gone for a couple of days. Now don't panic. He's taken his car and his school things, and I'm sure he'll be at school tomorrow. This last twenty-four hours has been a little rough on him, and he just needs a little while to cool off and sort things out. Now, I know this will come as a shock to you, but I think it's partially my fault. If I hadn't been so insistent about Troy, this probably wouldn't have happened, and I apologize."

"Then you're going to lay off Troy?" her father asked.

"Oh, no, daddy. The party's just begun. When Sharpay Evans sets her mind to something, she will always get it. Even if it takes a while," Sharpay said. She had made up her mind two and half years ago that what she wanted was Troy, and now she was more determined that ever to get him.

**Chapter Twenty-Five – Run Away. Far Away.  
(Ryan)**

Ryan sat in his car, which was parked in his garage. He had just crammed his entire duffel bag into the trunk of his blue Volkswagen beetle. He put the top up, and turned the car on. He backed out of his garage. He drove down the long driveway. The gate opened for him and he pulled out onto the street. As he headed towards town, he dialed Troy's cell phone number. Troy was just about the last person he wanted to talk to, but he would know what to do.

Troy answered his phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Troy, it's Ryan. I kind of have to tell you something," Ryan said. There was a scuffle on the other end of the phone and Troy shushed someone.

"I'm listening, what's up, man?" Troy asked.

"Well, I kind of left my house. And I need somewhere to go, and I know I used to be able to count on you, and I was wondering if I could, you know…" Ryan began.

"Um, sure, I'd have to check with my parents, but they'd probably be cool if you stay with us. I'm at Gabriella's right now, why don't you come over?" Troy said. Ryan heard thunder rumble in the distance, and the sky opened up to a torrential downpour of rain, and he was glad he had put the top up.

"That sounds good, Troy, I'll be right there," Ryan said. He hung up the phone and turned on the windshield wipers. He drove to Gabriella's house through the rain. When he entered her dining room where Troy and Gabriella were sitting, he was greeted with a towel and brownies by Ms. Montez.

"Hi, Ryan, dry your hair before it gets all soggy. I made brownies, too," she said to him, setting the brownies down on the table. The three hungry teenagers helped themselves.

"So, Ryan, tell us what happened," said Gabriella, after her mother had left. Ryan proceeded to tell them most of what had gone down between him and Sharpay. He took out the parts where Gabriella came into the story. When he finished, Troy and Gabriella stared. Ryan looked at them and shrugged.

"It doesn't really matter. My parents always said that Sharpay would drive me insane one of these days. What do you know? They were right," said Ryan. "I just need to get out from under Sharpay. She's just so…" He struggled to find the right words. "…controlling. I hate it. Well, you guys wouldn't understand, you're only children."

"Yeah, but we know what Sharpay's capable of. Come on, Ryan, we'd better get you to my house so you can get into something dry," Troy said.

"What are you guys talking about? I was outside for like two seconds. I'm not that wet." He looked at himself and was surprised to see that all of his clothes were soaking wet. "Okay, that's weird. I did not see that coming. You know, my shoes are waterproof, so my feet are warm." After saying good bye to Gabriella and taking some brownies for the trip, Ryan got back into his car to follow Troy to his house. Ryan was thankful that he didn't have leather interiors like Sharpay as he drove through the pouring rain. Upon their arrival at Troy's house, Troy helped him carry his duffel inside. Troy informed his parents that Ryan would be staying with them, and his parents were cool. Troy dragged Ryan's bag up the stairs and into his room, with Ryan following closely behind.

"Geez, what do you keep in here, bricks?" Troy asked as he dropped it on the floor next to his bed. Troy left the room, and Ryan opened his bag. He pulled out his school bag and books, and put them on the floor next to the bag. He pulled out one of the outfits he had brought with him. Ryan thought to himself that as soon as it stopped raining he'd go to the mall and buy some more clothes. He also made a mental note to get gas.

When Ryan got back from changing his clothes, he found a bed made up on the floor in Troy's room. Ryan took his wet stuff downstairs where Troy's mom, Lucille, was waiting to dry them. Ryan sat down on the couch. Troy was sitting in a chair. "Remember the sleepovers we used to have?" Ryan asked. Troy smiled and nodded. They had had sleepovers a number of times. They were doubtless less enjoyable than this was going to be, as Sharpay had been there.

"It'll be just like old times, except without Sharpay," said Troy. Ryan grinned. He was so glad to be doing something for once in his life without his awful twin sister. Mrs. Bolton presently came into the living room and announced that dinner was ready. Ryan could tell he was in for an interesting weekend.

**Chapter Twenty-Six – There's Something Different  
(Chad)**

The next morning, when he walked into homeroom, Chad noticed something different. There was one blonde head, instead of two. Ryan had come to school without Sharpay. Chad contemplated this as he passed. Troy, Gabriella, and Ryan were all talking about something. Chad walked to his seat at the back of the class.

"What's going on?" he asked Taylor as he sat down.

"Ryan and Sharpay had a big fight last night and he just _left_! He spent the night at Troy's and he's not going to let Sharpay get to him anymore," Taylor said very fast. "Gabriella told me this morning. So, how's Chad?"

"I'm fine, but a little confused," said Chad, frowning. He couldn't believe his ears. Ryan had walked out on Sharpay? He spent the night at Troy's? Chad laughed in spite of himself. "Ryan's been saying that he won't let Sharpay get to him anymore since the fifth grade."

"I know, but I think he really means it this time. Watch," Taylor said. Sharpay had just walked into the room. She took her usual seat in front of Ryan, but didn't so much as look at him. "Wow. She is really mad about something." The bell rang at that moment, and Ms. Darbus walked in with her usual air.

"Please tell me my ears deceive me," she said. "I have it on good authority that my two stars are no longer speaking." She looked at Sharpay and Ryan.

"Yes, Ms. Darbus," Sharpay said. "We would still like to audition on Monday, though, but separately," she added with a glare over her shoulder to Ryan.

Ms. Darbus began giving the usual announcements, including a new one about basketball tryouts. Chad noticed the reluctance in her tone, as though no one should think about playing sports when there was a show to put on. Chad wondered how she would feel about Ryan being on their team. That might just put her over the edge, Chad thought. Then the bell rang, and Chad said goodbye to Taylor. He headed down the hall to his history classroom. Chad thought as he walked about the staff baseball game that summer, and how Ryan had shown so much hidden talent. He was glad that tryouts were that afternoon, so he could see for himself how good this guy really was.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven – Ugh, Math  
(Troy)**

Troy sat with Zeke and Ryan in Geometry. They had broken up into groups to work on the problems that the teacher had put on the board.

"So, Ryan is it true that you walked out on Sharpay?" Zeke asked, frowning.

"Yes," Ryan said, "but I really don't feel like talking about it."

"We're supposed to be doing these problems," Troy reminded them. He looked at his textbook, at the board, at Zeke and Ryan, and then back at his textbook. "And I am officially lost."

"It's easy," said Ryan. "You just have to change the problem into something you can understand and identify with. Like, for you guys, basketball." Troy watched as Ryan rewrote the word problems so that they had to do with basketball. Troy looked at the problem and suddenly understood.

"Wow. So the answer is six?" Troy said. Ryan nodded. "That is truly amazing. How did you learn how to do that?"

"Gabriella taught me about it when she tutored me last year," Ryan said. Troy knew about this. He remembered how stressed Ryan had been with Algebra, and all the choreography for the Battle of the Bands.

"Yeah. So, what about problem four?" Troy asked. Zeke was plugging numbers into his calculator.

"Is it fourteen?" said Zeke.

"Yes!" exclaimed Ryan. Troy saw he was proud of his work. "Now, the next problem is about mixing two chemicals. Maybe you could figure out how to do this on your own." He started plugging numbers into his calculator. Troy noticed that Ryan no longer needed to change the problems, and made a mental note to ask Gabriella for help. Troy wrote down the problem, along with the pertinent equations, and managed to get the answer by changing the chemicals into two different colors of Gatorade.

When the bell finally rang, he really would have given anything to not have to go to English with She-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named, but he said bye to Zeke and Ryan, and went off to the class of doom. He arrived in English with a growing sense of dread.

The teacher broke them up into pairs and gave them a worksheet to do. Troy did his as silently as he could manage, and tried not to speak to Sharpay at all. People couldn't accuse him of not choosing the right side this time. Finally, English was over, and Troy headed to Gym.

After he changed, he grabbed his basketball and met Chad, Zeke, and Jason by the hoop. They started warming up, and Troy hit every basket. He was feeling particularly self assured as the Gym class went on. Troy's dad, otherwise known as Coach Bolton, called the class into a huddle. He gave them some exercises to do. As Troy made basket after basket, he began to feel that this was his year.

Troy sat in the locker room waiting for the lunch bell to ring. He looked at the paper he was writing down drills on. It was for the tryouts that were that afternoon. He had to be ready. He was trying to remember what Ryan had been good at when they had played together, but something, or someone, Troy thought, had driven the memories from him. He made the drills all-encompassing, including mini-scrimmages.

Troy decided to leave for lunch early to look at the tryout sign up sheet. He took a good hard look at it. There was every name on the JV team, some new freshman who were pretty full of themselves in Troy's opinion, and, at the very bottom, Ryan Evans.

What Troy _could_ remember was that his dad had seen real potential in Ryan. Troy hoped that the two and half sports-less years hadn't ruined his game. But, thought Troy, dancing did take some game, and it really kept you in shape. The rehearsals for the Winter Musical had kept him so exhausted that he barely had time to think before his brain went to sleep mode at night.

At that moment, the lunch bell rang, and students poured into the hall from every direction. Troy pushed his way into the cafeteria. He got his lunch and sat down at his usual table. Chad, Zeke, Jason, and Gabriella joined him, soon after followed by Taylor, Martha, and, to everyone's slight surprise, Ryan.

Everyone was ignoring the elephant in the room, Troy thought. "Hey, Ryan. So how's the school food?" Troy asked. Ryan usually brought his lunch from home made by his chef. Ryan gave the thumbs up and kept eating.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight – Bravery  
(Kelsi)**

Kelsi sat at her usual table with Sharpay on the second level on the café. She looked around and noticed something was wrong. Ryan was missing, and Sharpay was unusually silent. Kelsi knew about Ryan and Sharpay's big fight. It was pretty much common knowledge in the school that Ryan had walked out on Sharpay and had spent the night at Troy's house. Kelsi desperately also wanted to leave and eat with Troy and Gabriella, where Ryan was sure to be hiding, but it was complicated. Kelsi needed her musical compositions to be used by the Drama Club. Kelsi thought that if Ryan really wasn't going to let Sharpay get to him, _he_ could help her become a famous composer.

Kelsi looked out the window at the rain still pummeling the school. It seemed to have a dismal effect on the students, including Sharpay, who was glumly eating her homemade lunch in complete silence. Kelsi had made her decision. She was going to do the first brave thing she had ever done. She picked up her lunch tray and backpack and bid Sharpay good bye. Sharpay stared as Kelsi left, and then burst into tears, starting her typical "Why me?" routine. Kelsi descended the stairs to join Troy, Gabriella, Ryan and the rest.

"Hey guys," she said, sitting down between Zeke and Jason.

"Hi, Kelsi," said Troy, evidently surprised. "What are you doing down here? Don't you usually eat with Sharpay?"

"Believe it or not," said Kelsi, "eating with Sharpay is a lot less fun than you'd think." Ryan chuckled and nodded. "And it's definitely no fun without my good friend, Ryan." Ryan now grinned.

"Really?" said Ryan, faking surprise. "I am _so_ not looking forward to Music. Or French."

Kelsi finished eating her lunch as the others talked about classes and basketball, among other things. When the bell rang signifying the end of lunch, she wished Ryan luck, and headed to physics with Troy, Chad, Zeke, and Jason.

Upon their arrival, they found that they would be taking a survey of previous physics knowledge. Kelsi took out a number two pencil and began.

**A/N: The physics thing? Yeah, that's what we were doing in Physics the day I wrote this. Chapter 25 is by **_**far**_** my favorite up to this point. (Chapter 41 is my actual favorite. I'm not going to say what happens though, that's ruining it. You'll just have to wait and see.) Did I mention that I don't own HSM or **_**anything**_** else? I thought so, too. Thanks for reading and PLEASE just leave me a review! It takes like thirty more seconds.**

**Oh, and question. Was the reason for the lack of review on the last chapter because I forgot to thank you guys for reading it? Because I did, and I'm sorry. If it wasn't, then you guys didn't like it? I'm sorry for that as well. I hope this is more to your liking. _Please_ review?? (pouty face)**

**Samantha.**


	7. Chapters 29, 30, 21, 32, 33

**Chapter Twenty-Nine – Musically Challenged  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay sat down in music class on the far stage right of the soprano section. She was happy to see that her good-for-nothing brother who arrived thirty seconds later had enough sense to sit in the far stage left of the tenor section.

Ms. Darbus walked into the classroom. She shook her head, most likely at the sight of Sharpay and Ryan sitting so far apart. Sharpay looked at Ryan. He was determinedly looking away from her. Although Sharpay had felt bad about driving her brother out of the house the night before, she had gotten over that, and was now thoroughly done with him.

As Ms. Darbus conducted the warm-ups. Sharpay wondered what they would do today. Ms. Darbus told them all to take out the music they had been given on Wednesday. She had taken Kelsi's original work and split it into three parts instead of two. A girl's part, a boy's part, and a second harmony. Sharpay smiled to herself to see her old parts. She would, of course, be singing the melody. Singing harmony was way more trouble than it was worth. That was her partner's role. Sharpay was quite content with melody. Ms. Darbus was not a great accompanist, Sharpay knew that. Ms. Darbus rolled old tapes of Kelsi playing the piano. Sharpay looked at her music and grinned to see that some of the works were not Kelsi's but from great Broadway musicals, like Grease, Hairspray, Wicked, and Rent.

As they all began to sing, Sharpay noticed Ryan singing with the same enthusiasm he usually put into it. Sharpay thought this odd. If Ryan hadn't been singing because she made him, why had he been singing all those years? She made a mental note to ask him, but then remembered that they weren't speaking. She shoved her music into backpack. She didn't need it. She knew all Kelsi's songs by heart, and she had starred as Sandy in Grease, Amber in Hairspray, G(a)linda in Wicked, and Maureen in Rent.

Sharpay took out a small notebook she usually used for Ryan's notes to compose a list of the songs she could sing for her audition. She crumpled the page where she had written songs for herself and Ryan to sing and begin to think, all the while singing. Her final list had no songs on it. She hadn't come up with a single one. She was wracking her brains for any possible songs, and came upon What is This Feeling from Wicked, but as this was sung as a duet, she couldn't see who she could sing it with. Sharpay was definitely musically challenged without a partner.

**Chapter Thirty – Zac Efron?  
(Ryan)**

Ryan got up from music class when the bell rang and headed down the hall to French, silently dreading what was to come next. He sat down next to Kelsi upon arriving.

When the teacher announced that they would be working in pairs again, Ryan was relieved he hadn't taken a seat on Sharpay's side of the room. He and Kelsi took turns asking each other questions in French, and responding in French as well. When the exercise was over, they were told to open their textbooks, because they would be learning a new tense, the Imparfait.

As Ryan conjugated verbs, he couldn't help but wonder why Sharpay looked so happy. She was grinning at him from across the classroom. Ryan scowled and returned his eyes to his paper.

When at last French was finished, Ryan caught up with Gabriella down the hall and walked with her to Physics. They took the same test that Kelsi, Troy and the rest had taken and told them about, and then set to work learning vectors.

"Gabriella, Sharpay is really happy about something, and it's scaring me a little," Ryan said, as Gabriella rummaged for her calculator. She pulled it out of her bag.

"Sharpay's always up to something, you should know that," Gabriella said. Ryan looked at her. It was the first time he had looked directly at her since the day before, and Ryan realized something was missing. He couldn't figure out what it was. Then he realized.

"Where's the necklace?" Ryan said. Gabriella looked down at where it should have been.

"I took it off, because the clasp was getting old, and I didn't want to lose it. Do you know how to do vectors?" said Gabriella. Ryan raised his eyebrows at her, and they both started laughing. "Right, I forgot. So we place them end to end, and we do some 'high-end calculus' and we get the answer as 5." Ryan looked at her paper and back at his, at the textbook and at her.

"What?" he said.

"It's just the Pythagorean Theorem. You know, the square root of the sum of the squares of the two legs of the triangle equals the hypotenuse," explained Gabriella.

"Right. I believe you," said Ryan. He took a protractor from the table. "And it's at 45 degrees east of north, right?" Gabriella nodded. At least he knew some things. "So, did Troy say anything to you about the b-ball tryouts? I'm really nervous." Gabriella shook her head as she started the next problem.

"I'm sure you'll do great, Ryan," she said. Ryan saw her frown. She pushed some more buttons on her calculator. "Vector calculator," she explained. Gabriella obviously had a TI-89 titanium. Ryan looked down at his TI-83 Plus. His parents would have bought him anything he wanted, but he liked his old calculator. He had downloaded SuperMario onto it. He never played during class, though. Well, sometimes during French.

Gabriella and Ryan slowly made their way through several more problems and when the bell rang, they packed up their stuff and returned to homeroom. They sat down in their seats. Ryan was determined to ignore Sharpay until he just couldn't anymore.

"What?" he said to her. She had been poking him and saying his name.

"Ryan, would you sing a song with me at auditions?" Sharpay asked.

"No, Shar, I'm not talking to you, remember?" said Ryan.

"But I thought we could sing What Is This Feeling," said Sharpay.

"No, I said. Now drop it," said Ryan. He turned back to Gabriella and Troy, who had just sat down. "So, now that the topic has been brought up, what are you two singing at auditions?"

"Well, since you mention it, I was going to sing Ladies' Choice, from Hairspray," said Troy. Ryan stared.

"That is unbelievable. That is the same song I was going to sing," said Ryan. "But you can have it. Has anyone ever told you that you look kind of like Zac Efron?"

"I get that all the time, actually," said Troy, laughing.

**Chapter Thirty-One – Tryouts  
(Troy)**

When the bell signaling the end of school rang, Troy took Ryan to the locker rooms to change into something suitable for tryouts. Ryan came out from changing in some shorts and a shirt. Troy looked at him. The look needed work, but the tryouts were more important. He showed Ryan into the gym, and gathered his team.

"Okay, guys, it looks like we've got the entire JV team trying out. Remember, you guys have to play your best, too, all right?" said Troy to his team. They all nodded. "Okay, Wildcats on three. 1, 2, 3, Wildcats!" and he broke the huddle. He lined up the JV team, Ryan, and the freshmen, and gave them all the rundown of how it was going to work.

An hour later, Troy had made his final decision. He held his clipboard and walked down the reassembled line of boys. "After much consideration between the team, Coach Bolton, and myself, I have reached my conclusion. Replacing Austin Anderson as starting Guard will be…Ryan Evans," Troy said. The JV team all looked disappointed. The freshmen looked very disappointed as well. Ryan stepped forward from the line. He looked at Troy. "Hey. I didn't pick you because you're my friend. I picked you because you're the best one there is. So, will you do it?"

"Yeah, I'll do it," Ryan agreed. Ryan and Troy high-fived, and Troy's dad brought out a uniform and a practice jersey. The number on them was 3.

"These should fit you," he said. "Stick around after practice and we'll put your name on them." Ryan took it. Troy dismissed the rejected ball players and called his team up.

"Great guys. Really great. We'll just introduce Ryan to the team, throw some lay-ups and call it a night, okay?" said Troy. His team had already been playing for an hour, after all.

When practice was all over, and the boys had all showered and changed back into their jeans, Troy helped Ryan put "Evans" on the back of his jerseys. When they were finished, Ryan hung up the uniform in his new locker. Troy and Ryan left the locker room, and almost ran into Gabriella waiting in the hall with Taylor and Chad, who had evidently told her. She ran up to Ryan and gave him a hug. "Congratulations!" she said. They broke apart, and the five began to walk back down the hall. When they got to door, they realized that it was still raining.

"Hey, Ryan, we were all going to go for pizza, you want to come?" asked Taylor. Ryan looked reluctant.

"Come on, Ryan, it'll be fun," said Gabriella.

"Okay, I guess I don't have anything better to do besides sit around Troy's house by myself," said Ryan, sighing. He looked at Gabriella, and they both laughed. Troy searched around his pockets for his keys, and then he remembered that they had taken Ryan's car to school. There had been no point in taking separate cars, it just wasted gas. Troy flipped up the hood of his sweatshirt, and went with Gabriella and Ryan to the car. Chad and Taylor promised to meet them at the Pizza Place.

During the drive, Ryan recounted most of the tryouts to Gabriella, and Troy found an umbrella in the glove compartment. As Ryan parked the car, Troy turned to look at Gabriella in the back seat. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, and together they walked into the Pizza Place. Somehow, Chad and Taylor had beaten them there. They were sitting in their usual booth, which a chair had been added to.

"How on earth did you guys beat us here?" asked Troy, sliding into the booth. Gabriella sat next to him, and Ryan took the chair.

"We didn't walk?" said Chad. He looked at Taylor and they both laughed. Troy rolled his eyes. They ordered their pizza and drinks from the waiter, and the topic was changed.

"So, what happens to the involvement fair if it's still raining?" asked Gabriella.

"I don't know. We have it in the gym, I guess. It's never rained before," said Taylor. Troy and Chad looked at her.

"It's never rained before?" asked Chad.

"You know what I mean, oh, never mind," said Taylor. Chad, Troy, and Ryan laughed. Troy looked at Ryan. He really was a good guy.

**Chapter Thirty-Two – Sing. Sing a Song.  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella ate her vegetable pizza as she listened to the boys talk about their basketball team. When finally one of them stopped to breathe, she jumped in and changed the subject.

"So, I was going to change the subject, but I forgot was I was going to say," she said and laughed.

"Sorry, Gabriella, I didn't realize we were talking about basketball so much, but it's just kind of exciting, now that I'm on the team," said Ryan. Gabriella took a sip of her orange soda.

"That's okay, but can't we talk about something else?" said Taylor.

"We could talk about auditions," suggested Chad. "Those are _really_ exciting."

Everyone laughed. "So Troy's going to sing Ladies' Choice from Hairspray, I hear," said Taylor. "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Zac Efron?"

"See? I get that all the time!" Troy said to Ryan. Ryan laughed. "What are you going to sing, Gabriella?"

"I don't really know a lot of songs. Do you guys have any suggestions?" said Gabriella. She looked at Ryan.

"Well, I was thinking, and you and Troy could sing As Long As You're Mine from Wicked. It's this really beautiful duet," said Ryan.

"But Troy's already doing Ladies' Choice," said Gabriella.

"Why don't you two sing it?" said Troy. Gabriella looked at him. Who on earth was he talking to? Her and Ryan? There was no way.

"Who on earth are you talking to?" said Gabriella.

"You and Ryan. You could sing it. Ryan probably already knows it. He's been in like every musical ever," said Troy. Ryan smirked and nodded. "I'm sure it wouldn't take long for you to learn, and Kelsi could help you." Gabriella looked at Ryan. It wasn't that she minded singing with him, but she didn't really feel comfortable with it, and she was sure Ryan didn't either.

"Well, I think it's a great idea," said Taylor. Ryan and Gabriella looked at each other and shrugged. "We'll see Kelsi tomorrow at the involvement fair. And you guys have to come. If we're going to be there, you're going to be there." Everyone agreed, it was a date. Ryan had to run the drama club's table with Kelsi, and Chad and Troy would run the basketball booth, so they were all going to be there anyway.

As Ryan got gas, Troy and Gabriella sat in the car. "Is it really okay with you if I sing with Ryan?" asked Gabriella.

"Sure. And I'd rather him sing with you than him get roped into doing something with Sharpay," said Troy. Gabriella knew that was true. Ryan got back in the car and drove them back to Troy's house, where they had planned a little party to celebrate the end of the first week of school.

Troy's dad had found an old karaoke machine of Troy's in the attic, and Troy's mom had made snacks. They left the downstairs area in the charge of Gabriella, whom they deemed the most responsible. Ryan dug his iPod out of his backpack and plugged it into the machine.

"Okay, so do you want to hear As Long As You're Mine?" said Ryan. "Or do you want to hear Troy sing Ladies' Choice?" Gabriella smiled.

"I want to hear Troy first, and then it's our turn," she said. Ryan hit enter, and the wonderful music of Hairspray filled the living room. Troy sang along with Zac Efron as Link Larkin. When he was finished, Gabriella could barely contain her giggles. "That was great. You should do it without Zac singing this time." Ryan obliged and put on the karaoke version of Ladies' Choice. When he was finished, Ryan turned it to their duet. He played it once through with lyrics, and then turned them off.

As Gabriella sang this beautiful duet with Ryan, she began to feel things she'd only ever felt once before, when she had first sung karaoke with Troy in Colorado. When the song was finished, Troy clapped very loudly.

"That was terrific. Almost as good as the guys on the CD," he said. Gabriella smiled on the outside, but inside she felt weird. She was in for an interesting night.

**Chapter Thirty-Three – Plan B  
(Sharpay)**

Meanwhile at the Evans mansion, Sharpay was pacing her room. Kelsi had called her earlier that night to inform her that she and Ryan would be staffing the involvement fair the next day and there was no need for her to go. Sharpay figured it would still be raining anyway, but she still liked to meet all her new recruits firsthand. However, she had more important things to deal with.

She sat down at her own glittery pink laptop computer and opened her iTunes application. She scrolled through all her songs, but she couldn't find a single one that she wanted to sing for her audition. Sharpay wasn't the type of girl to sing by herself. Her eyes fell upon her playlist of Disney songs and opened it, hoping there was a perfect song in there. She scanned the entire thing and finally she found it, the one she had been looking for. Kiss the Girl (pop version) by Ashley Tisdale. It was perfect. She played the song through once and decided that this was definitely the song to sing.

She sang it through a couple times to get the feel. What she felt was curious. She wondered what her brother was up to at Troy's house and what song he would be singing.

Sharpay thought about Troy and how close she had been to getting him. If it hadn't been for that meddling Ryan, she thought she would have had him. Sharpay looked at the pictures on her walls. They were mostly of her. There were a few of her and Ryan. And there was one of her and Troy. It had been taken at the Valentine's Dance freshman year, when they had been crowned best couple and the Dance king and queen.

Sharpay thought about herself and Troy. "It just makes sense," she said.

"What makes sense?" Her mother was at the door.

"Nothing, anymore, I guess," Sharpay replied. "What's up?"

"Well, your father and I are going out for the weekend. The staff is here if you need them. Are you sure your brother is okay?" her mother asked.

"Yes, he's at Troy's," Sharpay said. Her mother left, and Sharpay sighed. She had a long weekend ahead of her. And she had to do something about Troy.

**A/N: Writing these chapters made me laugh really hard. Troy singing as Zac, and Sharpay singing as Ashley? What could be funnier? For people who have never heard As Long As You're Mine from Wicked, I suggest you go on YouTube and find in, because it's beautiful.**

**I don't own any of the songs or musicals, or HSM, or SuperMario, or the calculators (even though Ryan has the same calculator as me, and Gabriella has one like my good-for-nothing sister) or iTunes, or anything! Got it? Good.**

**Thank you guys for reading, and please review! Because, if you review, I won't forget to post the chapter for days on end accidentally next time.**

**Samantha.**

**Oh, and I know that someone else already had the jersey number 3, and it wasn't the kid who graduated, but just pretend with me. It's a story, and I really wanted Ryan to have the number 3. **


	8. Chapters 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

**Chapter Thirty-Four – Wicked  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella woke up the next morning feeling awfully refreshed. She sat up and looked around. This wasn't her bedroom. Then she remembered. She had spent the night at Troy's. This was Troy's bed she was sitting on. Troy and Ryan were still sleeping on air mattresses on either side. Neither had wanted Gabriella to sleep on the floor. Gabriella smiled to herself and looked at the clock. It read 9:59. She silently got off the bed and tried not to step on Ryan on her way out the door. She accidentally woke him up anyway.

"Shh," she whispered. "Troy's still asleep." Gabriella waited as Ryan sat up and stretched, and then they both walked downstairs together. The house was silent but for them. She sat down on the couch. Ryan sat in a chair. "Ryan, I need to talk to you about something. Last night when we sang together, did you feel a little weird?"

Ryan looked at her. "Yeah, it was a little weird, us singing together, but Troy said we should do it, so I think we should," said Ryan.

"You didn't think it was weird, for another reason? A big one, like an elephant that we're ignoring?" asked Gabriella.

"Oh, _that_. Yeah, it could get really weird. I mean, for you. But like I said, you're with Troy, and he's a great guy. And you should stop lying to him that your necklace is broken," said Ryan. Gabriella scowled and wondered how he had known. "You guys are both really lucky, and I'm really happy for you both. I want you to be happy." Gabriella sighed.

"Okay. We'll do the song," she said. "You were right. It is beautiful. You said that's from Wicked? When did you do that one?"

"Um, I think it was Sophomore Year. I was Fiyero, the male voice you hear in the song we sang," explained Ryan.

"So you sang that song with Sharpay? That seems a little out of place," said Gabriella, thinking of how romantic the song had been.

"No, thankfully. There are two main female leads, well, really three. It's hard to explain. It's kind of like the Wizard of Oz, but not," said Ryan. Gabriella nodded, even though she was still confused. "I wonder what's for breakfast."

"Let's find out," said Gabriella. They got up, and looked around in the fridge. "Aha! Mrs. Bolton thinks of everything," she said, pulling out two big glasses full of jello and whipped cream. She handed one to Ryan and pulled two spoons out of the drawer. "There's another one for Troy when he wakes up."

"I'm up," said Troy, sleepily entering the kitchen. He took the last glass from the fridge and sat down at the table with Gabriella and Ryan. "How long have you guys been awake?" he asked, yawning.

"Only about ten minutes, sleepyhead," said Gabriella. Troy chuckled, and they sat eating their parfaits in silence. When they were all finished, Gabriella said to Troy, "So, Ryan and I decided we're going to do the song."

"That's great! You guys sounded really good. Although, out of curiosity, why do we have to sing, if it's for a play?" Troy asked, picking up their empty glasses and putting them in the sink.

"There's a big musical number at the end, apparently," said Ryan. "But I read the play and it's really good. There are two main couples, Keith and Stacey, and Brian and Amanda. They do all this stuff, and none of it goes the way they planned. And then at the end everything's all good, and they sing and dance."

Troy nodded and said, "Sounds…interesting. It's _still_ raining?" Gabriella saw it was. "I don't believe it. Chad and I were supposed to meet for one on one before the fair." Troy left to call Chad and tell him it was off. Ryan went upstairs to change. Twenty minutes later, they both came back into the dining room dressed in school clothes. Ryan was wearing one of his trademark hats.

"So, Gabs, are you going to change or what?" said Troy. Gabriella looked at what she was wearing, which was her pajamas.

"I don't have any other clothes here besides what I wore yesterday," she said.

"Looks like we'll have to stop at your house then," said Ryan. "Who's driving?" After a brief argument, they all piled into Ryan's car, as it had a full tank of gas. "I can't believe it's still raining."

After a forty minute stop and Gabriella's house, during which time she took a shower, changed her clothes, and put on her T necklace, they arrived at East High. They had timed it perfectly. It was 11:45, setup began at noon.

**Chapter Thirty-Five – The Fair  
(Taylor)**

Taylor and Gabriella sat at a table in the gym. A cacophony of noise made by all the freshman wandering about echoed around them. Ryan and Kelsi's drama table was directly across the center aisle. Troy and Chad were straight down the aisle from the door as you walked in so you couldn't miss it. The rain pounded the gym roof making it difficult to concentrate. When at last the clock struck four, Taylor was relieved. She looked at a sheet of paper where the new recruits had written down their names. It was pretty sizable.

As Taylor and Gabriella took down all their posters, Ryan ambled up. "Would either of you two wonderful ladies be interested in signing up for the drama club?" he asked in the manner of someone asking something ridiculous.

"I don't know, Ryan, would you be interested in signing up for the math team?" countered Gabriella. The two of them burst into laughter. Taylor shook her head and collapsed the chairs.

"Make yourselves useful and go stack these chairs so we can get out of here," she said. They obliged. Eventually, everything was cleaned up, and Taylor went with Gabriella, Ryan, and Kelsi to see how Troy and Chad had done at their table. They showed a pretty sizable list, which would make their freshmen team huge.

"Would any of you be interested in signing up for the boy's basketball team?" Troy asked, in an air similar to Ryan's.

"Gee, Troy, you know I wish I could but I just have prior engagements," said Gabriella.

"Ha," said Troy, sarcastically. The six of them left the gym. Upon reaching the front door, a miraculous sight met their eyes. It was no longer raining! "Hey, it's not raining, anymore, guys," said Troy.

Taylor turned to Gabriella. "Where did you say this guy was from? Planet Obvious?" They all laughed and went outside. As Taylor walked with Chad to his car, she looked back at Ryan with Troy and Gabriella. She thought that it was great for him to finally do something without Sharpay, but based on what Gabriella had told her about him, she wondered what the real motivations for his actions had been.

**Chapter Thirty-Six – Shopping  
(Ryan)**

Later that night found Ryan and Kelsi at the East Albuquerque Mall. Ryan needed more clothes, and since Troy and Gabriella were on their big nine-month anniversary date, Kelsi had offered to help him, not that he really needed help. His sense of style was impeccable. After a rather lengthy trip into the hat shop where they both got new hats, they sat down in the food court with burgers.

"Kels, can I ask you something?" said Ryan, taking a sip of his root beer.

"Yeah, sure, why wouldn't you?" said Kelsi.

"Kels, and be honest with me, is it painstakingly obvious that I like Gabriella?" said Ryan. Kelsi raised her eyebrows, apparently impressed that he knew the word "painstakingly".

"Not really – well, not anymore. It was for a little bit this summer, but not now. Nice word, by the way," said Kelsi. "So, you still like her?"

"Yes," said Ryan, regretting bringing up the subject. "I just – I don't know. Troy's a great guy, and ever since I sort of moved into his house, I've had to be really careful about what I do, because if he ever found out, he'd, you know, kick me out. And now that Gabriella knows, I've just really been like a closed book, I feel." He looked at Kelsi to see if this made anymore sense to her than it had to him.

"I know what you mean, Ryan, and Gabriella's great, I'm sure she wouldn't tell him, and if worst comes to worst, and Troy does find out, just tell him the truth. He's a nice guy, and I'm sure he'll understand," said Kelsi. "I'm definitely not saying that you should tell him. Under no circumstances should you tell him, but _if_ he finds out, like say, if Sharpay tells him, or he walks in on you and Gabriella kissing, tell him the truth."

"That's not funny," said Ryan. It was not funny for two reasons. The first was that Troy had pretty much already walked in on as romantic as it was ever going to get between Gabriella and Ryan. The second reason was that Sharpay really would tell Troy, if it meant she got him for herself. This was the one that Ryan was most worried about. "I get what you mean, though. So, what's up with you and Jason lately?"

"Oh, the usual: nothing," said Kelsi. "He still hasn't asked me out. We have class together twice a day, plus homeroom and lunch. I don't get it."

"Maybe," said Ryan, getting up to throw out their empty food containers, "he's afraid. Or he's scared there's someone else. You should ask him out." Kelsi looked doubtful. "Okay, Kelsi," said Ryan as they walked towards one of the bigger clothing stores in the mall, "do you know how happy it makes guys to know that the person they like likes them back? It would make me very happy if Gabriella liked me, but we're talking about you. You like Jason. Jason likes you. So ask him out. It's simple." They entered the store and stopped talking for a while as they picked out tops and bottoms for Ryan. They came across a particularly interesting item. "You know, although it _is_ something I would wear, I think I'm going to go a little easy on the sparkles for a while. They're very bright." When they had finished with that store, they moved on to the next, and the next, and the next.

Finally, after hours of shopping, they had as many bags and boxes as they could carry. They went back out to Ryan's car, where they filled the trunk and backseat with packages. Ryan drove Kelsi and her packages to her house, and then took his back to Troy's house. Upon his arrival, he saw that Troy's truck wasn't in the driveway, and assumed they were still on their date. He took all his stuff into the living room, and piled the boxes neatly.

"Moving out? Or moving in?" said Coach Bolton, coming into the room.

"Neither," said Ryan. "Just bringing my stuff in from the car. Troy still out on his date?" Coach Bolton nodded. "That's cool. Don't mind me."

"You know, Ryan. I was watching you at tryouts yesterday, and I have got to say, almost three years of no sports at all hasn't hurt your game a bit. How do you do it?" Coach Bolton asked.

"Well, coach, if you believe me, dancing is a kind of sport, and it takes a lot of game," said Ryan. "I should know, I'm a choreographer, it's what I do. The basketball team, though. I'm looking forward to a great season this year. And Troy said that we'd practice tomorrow because it's not raining anymore." Coach Bolton nodded his approval.

"I meant what I said before. You have real potential as a basketball player, Ryan," he said. At that second, Troy came through the door, Gabriella-less.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven – OMG, the Date!  
(Troy)**

Both Troy's dad and Ryan were looking at Troy. "What?" Troy said.

"Well? Where's the lovely lady?" said his dad. Ryan attempted to see if perhaps Troy was hiding her behind him.

"I drove her home, she couldn't stay again tonight," said Troy. He saw a big pile of shopping boxes and bags in the living room. "Who's moving in?"

"Those would be Ryan's purchases," said his father.

"Holy cow," said Troy. "Must have cost a fortune."

"Well, then it's lucky I have one," said Ryan, jokingly. "No, but really it wasn't that much, I didn't even max out my credit card." Troy wondered what the limit on Ryan's credit card was, but didn't ask. "I was going to unwrap it all in the living room to save the trouble of bringing the wrappings back downstairs. Want to help?" Troy looked around for anyone else to whom Ryan could be speaking. When no one else was found, Troy agreed. After the unwrapping party, he helped Ryan bring it all upstairs.

As Ryan began to stuff his duffel bag with his brand new clothes, Troy said, "Ryan, you don't have to do that. You live here now. Have half of my closet." Ryan looked very surprised, but obliged. "And are you sure you don't mind sleeping on the floor, because I'm sure we have another mattress somewhere. In fact, I think my bed has two."

"No, Troy, you've done enough. I'll sleep on the floor. I'm already inconveniencing you enough," said Ryan. Troy looked at his watch-less wrist. It was nine o'clock. "So how was your date?"

"It was unbelievable," said Troy. "I've never met a girl like Gabriella. She's sweet, smart, funny, and she's so fun to be around. No offense, man, but it's nothing like Sharpay. We went to the art museum and out to this romantic dinner, and we walked along the riverbank. It was just so…magical." Troy looked at Ryan. "You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do," said Ryan. Troy looked at him, confused. "I mean, I understand what you're talking about," Ryan said quickly. Troy nodded. Ryan would understand. After all, Ryan was the only other person in all of East Albuquerque who would understand. There _was_ something magical about Gabriella. The first time he had sung with her he had felt it. Like kindergarten. "You've got a look," said Ryan. "What are you thinking about?"

"Singing with Gabriella," said Troy. "It's just so…well, you must know. You've sung with her."

"Yeah, well, not in the way you have," said Ryan. "You're her boyfriend, and just for the record, you're really lucky. She's really great. This summer…was just–" He stopped talking and blushed. Troy raised his eyebrows. "Well, what you said. Magical. Everyday is an amazing song. Kelsi really wrote it for you guys, not me. And I'm not jealous. Well, kind of, but only because the songs I sing with Sharpay are…different."

"Yeah. Really different," said Troy, thinking of Sharpay's version of You Are the Music in Me, and how different it had been from Kelsi's. "Is she always so controlling when you're dancing together? I think I still have marks from our rehearsals."

"Yeah, that's my sister. She's border-lining insanity, I think. And then she makes up ridiculously logical reasons for the stuff she does," said Ryan.

"Yeah. For the longest time, I was jealous of you, Ryan. You had everything anyone could ever want. You could dance. You could sing. You were amazing at sports. And you had Sharpay," said Troy. "But then I stepped back, and realized that even if I had a quarter of the talent that you have, my life will be better any day." Ryan nodded. "Sorry about Sharpay, man."

"Yeah, me too," said Ryan. Troy chucked him a tissue box. "I'm not crying."

"I know," said Troy, "but you look like you might. It's okay. Sharpay's mean to everyone. She just really overdid you." Ryan smiled through the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

"You're a lucky guy, Troy Bolton, and not just for the reasons you think," he said, sitting down on the pile of blankets that was his makeshift bed. He picked up one of his notebooks and began to write. "We should probably go to bed soon. We've got basketball to work on tomorrow." Troy nodded and sat down in his own bed, looking guiltily around his room, a little sorry for Ryan that he couldn't be in his own.

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**** – Ugh!  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay sat in her bedroom. She had barely left it all day. Around her was a mess of CD's, scripts, empty bottles that used to contain water, and empty plastic baggies that used to contain Zeke's chocolate chip cookies. The maid had come into her room to check on her earlier, and Sharpay had conveyed that she was to be left alone. As much as Sharpay tried to pretend that she didn't care about her brother, she did miss him when he was gone. She had contemplated calling him, but had decided against it.

Sharpay got up and walked through her bathroom into Ryan's room. She looked around at it's dismal emptiness. She had made this trip about six or seven times since she had gotten up that morning, half-expecting him to be in there. Sharpay sat down on Ryan's bed. She had made a list earlier of all the things she had figured Ryan would need if he were going to be away much longer, and she had packed them all into a bag. She would find a way to make him take it on Monday, even if it meant putting it in his car.

Eventually, she made her way back into her own room and cleaned up all the mess. Well, the mess she had made that afternoon. The mess of clothes by the closet was going to have to wait for another day. Sharpay had had a long day, and she needed sleep. She thought it must be awfully late at night. Looking at the clock, which read 11:15, verified this suspicion.

She got into bed, and realized she wasn't in the least bit tired. She got up again, and went downstairs to the kitchen. She asked the chef if there were anymore of Zeke's cookies. When the answer was returned as no, Sharpay was very disappointed. She left again and went downstairs to the basement, which was really a music room. Sharpay sat down at her brother's piano. She hadn't been down here in months. She didn't play the piano, or any of the other instruments, plus they had been at Lava Springs all summer. Sharpay recognized most of the music on the piano as the Spring Musical music. There were others as well, and she wondered what on earth they were from.

She took all the music upstairs to her room, where it should be, and realized that it wasn't her music. The top read Everyday. This was Ryan's music. Sharpay sighed and got back into her bed before her emotions got the best of her. She clapped and all the lights in her room went out. As she snuggled into her warm pink covers, she wondered what on earth Ryan was up to down in that music room. He was down there all the time. What had he been doing?

**A/N: Contrary to popular belief, I am not trying to make Sharpay out as stupid, or as a typical blonde. She's just…Sharpay. You know, spiteful, vindictive, a little crazy on occasion, but **_**never**_** stupid.**

**So, I don't own anything, as usual. Oh, and sorry for the wait, I was moving. Thanks for reading, and please review!!**

**Samantha.**


	9. Chapters 39, 40, 41, 42, 43

**Chapter Thirty-Nine – Questions  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella woke up very suddenly on Sunday morning. She looked around for anything that could have caused this, but saw nothing. Her clock said it was ten o'clock, and she decided to get up. She took a shower, and got dressed, all the while thinking about the date she had had the night before. It had been so amazing. Nothing could damper her mood right now. Well, almost nothing.

Her eyes fell on the promise ring still in the box on her dresser. She still hadn't put it on. She figured she probably should, but her eyes then fell on the bracelet Ryan had given her. She turned around and left her room for breakfast. Her mother had made omelets.

"Good morning mom," said Gabriella as she sat down at the table.

"Good morning. How was your anniversary?" her mother asked.

"It was amazing," Gabriella said. She hesitated. "Mom, I need to talk to you about something. And you can't tell anyone." Her mother nodded. "Okay. Thursday afternoon, Sharpay told me that Ryan had a crush on me. I went to find him after, and he said it was true. I had to check because, you know, it's Sharpay. So, then Troy came in and took me home, and gave me this ring, which is wonderful. And then Ryan walked out on Sharpay and showed up here, too. Now, I love Troy and he's great, but Ryan…I mean, he…I don't know." Her mother sat, taking all this in.

"Was there a question included there?" she asked. Gabriella nodded. "You love Troy, and he loves you. What's to question?"

"I know I love Troy. And he loves me. It's just that Ryan does too, or at least I think he does. And I don't want to hurt him or Troy. I really wonder how Ryan feels to be living at Troy's house. And he's on the basketball team. Troy told me himself that Ryan has four times as much talent than him, and somehow I really think Ryan's a little jealous. After all, he has to live with Sharpay. I'm not going to leave Troy for Ryan, mother, but it's really awkward around him, and we're both pretending it's not, which just makes it more awkward. And I just don't know what to do anymore," said Gabriella. Her mother smiled.

"I think you just answered your question," she said. Gabriella didn't.

**Chapter Forty – Basketball  
(Troy)**

Troy, Ryan, and Chad were sitting at the dining room table in Troy's house eating lunch. Troy and Ryan were exhausted. They had just played a rather vigorous game of one-on-one. Troy had very narrowly beaten Ryan 15-14, while Chad had watched from the sidelines, keeping score in a mock-professional commentary way.

"Good game, boys," said Troy's dad, from next to the fridge. "I want to see some of that in practice tomorrow." He exited through the front door.

"Yeah, it was really great," said Chad. "Troy was right, you are really good," he added to Ryan, who took a bow in mock pride.

"Apparently talent springs from the water in this house or something," said Ryan.

"That's the milk, actually," said Troy. "My mom buys it with extra talent, just for me." They all laughed. "No, but seriously, the team is lucky to have you this year."

"Yeah, the West High Knights won't know what hit them," said Chad. "And then we'll say, 'That's Ryan Evans, singing sensation and basketball wonder', and they'll look at us in awe and then they'll explode." Troy and Ryan looked at him and frowned. "Okay, well, they won't explode, but something will happen."

"So I'm a singing sensation, now, am I?" asked Ryan. Troy looked at him and wondered how on earth he could doubt that. "Yeah, I guess so." He took his empty plate to the sink. Troy and Chad followed suit.

"Who's up for some more basketball?" said Chad. Troy and Ryan followed him back outside. Troy sat on the sidelines commentating Chad and Ryan's one-on-one. He watched as his two starting guards faced off, and realized that they were both using moves that Troy used. Troy smiled to think of his good work as team captain.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. "Hello?" he said.

"Hey, Troy. What's up?" It was Gabriella.

"Not much, I guess. I beat Ryan at one-on-one and then we ate lunch, and now he's playing with Chad. What's up with you?" Troy asked.

"Oh, nothing much, I'm was just wondering what you were up to. I'm kind of bored," said Gabriella. "It's a nice day though, maybe I'll take a walk."

"That sounds good. Get the blood circulating," Troy said, laughing. "Maybe I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you, too," said Gabriella, and Troy hung up his phone. He looked up. Ryan was hanging off the rim.

"What's the score, man?" said Chad.

"I have no idea," said Troy, laughing. He wasn't very good at commentating. "Is it 2-2?"

"It is, actually," said Ryan, dropping from the hoop. "Lucky guess."

Troy commentated the rest of the game. When it was over, and Ryan had won 15-13, Troy picked up the ball and dunked it. As he dropped from the rim, he saw Gabriella coming up the front walk.

"Hey guys!" she said, picking up the ball from the ground. "Who won?"

"Ryan did," said Chad. Gabriella shot the ball into the basket.

"Impressive," said Gabriella, making another basket.

"Not really, I let him win," said Chad. Ryan and Troy gave him a look. "Okay, no, I didn't." Troy laughed to himself, and stole the ball from Gabriella, dunking it again. "Dude, you're going to break the hoop if you keep hanging on it," said Chad. Troy disregarded this, as it wasn't true.

"Why are you here, Gabriella?" said Ryan. Troy looked at Gabriella, interested in the answer.

"Actually, I need to talk to you, Ryan," said Gabriella. She went inside, and Ryan followed her, shrugging to Troy as he left. Troy dunked the ball again. He dropped to the ground again, not thinking much of the talk going on inside.

**Chapter Forty-One – OMG!  
(Gabriella)**

"Ryan, I need to talk to you about that thing that we said we weren't going to talk about and also some other things. And I need you to be as honest with me as you can," said Gabriella. Ryan nodded solemnly. She took a deep breath. "What are these feelings you have for me?"

"I, well, I – I'm kind of in love with you," said Ryan. This didn't shock Gabriella. She had been expecting it.

"Okay, that's what I thought. And you probably know this, but I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Now, I'm not in love with you, but you're a great guy, and I want you to know that. Maybe sometimes a better guy than Troy," she added, thinking of that summer. She shook her head to clear it. "That being said, I want you to know that I'm here for you, if you ever need anything."

"Gabriella, I know that," said Ryan. "You've always been there for me."

"I know. I just wanted to say it," said Gabriella. "I have another question. When we sang together Friday night, I felt something. Something that I haven't felt since the first time Troy and I sang together. Did you feel it too?"

"Yes," said Ryan. "Singing with you is magical. Even Troy says so. Go on."

"And I just need to know that you're not going to go and do something stupid because I'm not in love with you the way you are with me," finished Gabriella.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid. At least, I'm not going to do any _more_ stupid things," said Ryan. Gabriella smiled.

"Okay. So that being said, I'd still love to audition with you, as long as it's not going to get all awkward for us," she said.

"It would never get awkward," said Ryan. Gabriella could tell he was on the verge of tears again. She gave him a big hug, which he returned. Gabriella smiled at him, and he smiled back, which she took to be a good sign. When Ryan was ready, they both returned to the basketball court where Chad and Troy were taking turns making baskets. Gabriella sat down on the sidelines, and watched her boyfriend making his hoops, hoping she had made the right choice by choosing him. Ryan sat down beside her. "I know that how I feel about you will never change anything, but I need to know something, too," Ryan whispered, as Troy made another basket. "If everything was the way it is now, but there was no Troy, would you pick me?"

This question shocked Gabriella, even though she had been expecting a question of that nature. She hadn't thought about her answer though. She looked at Troy, who was making yet another basket, and at Ryan, who was looking at her with eyes that sought for an answer. Gabriella looked into his eyes, and he looked into hers, and in that moment, she knew what her answer was. She nodded, and whispered, "Yes." Ryan's face was an inch from hers.

It happened before she could even think about it. She and Ryan had locked lips in a really romantic kiss right there next to the basketball hoop where Troy and Chad were shooting hoops. They broke apart. Troy and Chad hadn't noticed anything at all. Then Gabriella realized what she had just done. "I shouldn't have done that, Ryan," she said to him. Ryan was still speechless from the kiss. "Well, I really should be getting home," she said to Troy and Chad, who were completely engrossed in their game. Typical boys, she thought. Troy didn't even stop playing for one second.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" he asked, shooting a fade-away.

"No, Ryan can do it," she said. Ryan realized he had just been called upon and jumped to his feet. Five minutes later, Ryan and Gabriella were in Ryan's car on the way to Gabriella's house. After a long silence, Gabriella spoke. "I'm sorry I did that. I don't know what came over me." There was a pause, while Ryan drove into Gabriella's driveway. "If it makes you feel any better, I kind of liked it." Ryan parked the car and turned to her.

"No, Gabriella, you shouldn't have kissed me, because now my feelings are in a disarray, not to mention the–" Ryan began, but he was cut off by Gabriella grabbing him and kissing him again. When she was finished, he rather tentatively asked, "Is that how it's going to be?" Gabriella looked at him, and then remembered Troy. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. They sat in silence in Gabriella's driveway for seconds, and then minutes.

Gabriella couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't break Troy's heart, and at the same time she couldn't break Ryan's, especially after kissing him. Twice. In ten minutes. She looked deep into Ryan's eyes again, and again she found an answer. "Yes."

**Chapter Forty-Two – Almost Paradise  
(Ryan)**

Ryan could literally not believe his ears. "Really?" he asked.

"I – yeah," said Gabriella. "I don't know what to say." There was a pause. "Do you want to come inside?" Ryan nodded, and they proceeded into Gabriella's house, unnoticed by her mother. Upon their arrival in Gabriella's bedroom, Gabriella spoke again. "So, I walked over to Troy's house to say that I loved _him_, and somehow here _we_ are in my bedroom. Interesting." She walked over to her dresser and took off her T necklace, which she placed in a box with what Ryan thought he identified as a ring. "I guess I'll have to give these back." Ryan couldn't stand it anymore.

"Gabriella, why? Why are you doing this? I-I love you, but I…" Ryan's voice trailed off, as he realized he had nothing to say.

"Honestly, I don't know. I was completely content on telling you that I wasn't ever going to love you when I left here. And then, looking in your eyes, I felt in my heart, the start of something new," she said, now putting on her bracelet.

"That's a song," said Ryan.

"I know, but it's true. That's what happened. I-I can't explain it. There is no name for it," said Gabriella.

"Did you also sing me words you never said, and it was easy because I see the real you?" said Ryan, now wondering if Troy and Gabriella's entire relationship had been based on songs that they had sung together.

"No, I – Was that one from a song, too?" said Gabriella. Ryan looked at her, and they both laughed. "I'm sorry. It just that this feeling's like no other. That's from a song too. I'll get it. Hold on." She sat on her bed, thinking, while Ryan waited patiently. "I've got it," she said, finally. "I looked into your eyes, and there I found all the answers I'll ever need. I found…forever." There was a pause. "And that's not from a song. Really."

Ryan looked at her. "If that's really what you feel," he said.

"It is, Ryan. Love is looking into someone's eyes and finding forever," she said, looking directly at him. Ryan smiled, because there was a certain warmth in his heart. "And I found forever in yours. It's all happening so fast, but I feel that I love you."

"And I love you," said Ryan, really hoping she was serious about all this. He sat next to her on her bed, and gave her a sideways hug. He looked at his watch and jumped. "My, my, time flies. I'd best be getting back to Troy's before he starts wondering what we're doing. And I'll probably need to pack up my stuff, too," he added. Gabriella looked confused.

"Why would you need to pack?" said Gabriella.

"Well, probably because he'll be kicking me out when he finds out about this," Ryan said. "I guess I'll have to go back home."

"No, you won't. You can stay here, with us," said Gabriella.

"Troy would _love_ that. And how would your mother feel about you having a boy living with you?" said Ryan.

"There's a boy living with you?" said Ms. Montez from the doorway. Gabriella and Ryan looked at each other.

"Well, as you know, Ryan left his house, and needed a place to stay, so he went to Troy's. And there's a pretty big possibility that Troy's going to kick him out tomorrow," said Gabriella.

"Why?" asked her mother, suspiciously.

"Because I'm sort of going to dump him," said Gabriella. Her mother looked very surprised. "And Ryan would need somewhere else to stay."

"But how does Ryan fit into–" began Ms. Montez. Her face fell upon Ryan sitting on the bed. "Gabriella Elizabeth Montez, are you trying to tell me you're dumping Troy for Ryan? Didn't we go over this earlier? You said you were going to keep dating Troy and stay friends with Ryan. Remember?"

"Well, yes, mother, that was the original plan, and then I kissed him," Gabriella said. Ms. Montez opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

"Okay, if Troy kicks him out, he can come and stay with us," she finally said. "But only because I can tell how much you care for each other."

**Chapter Forty-Three – Dinner  
(Troy)**

Troy and Chad were still playing basketball when Ryan drove into the driveway. Troy looked at his watch-less wrist. Ryan had been gone a while. He greeted them and then proceeded into the house. Troy took no notice and kept playing. He secretly wondered what had happened between them in the house, and why it was worth Gabriella coming all the way over here just for that five minutes, and why she had left so suddenly. His thoughts were keeping him from his game, though, so he put them out of his head and proceeded to win the game against Chad for the best three out of five.

"Man, _how_ do you keep doing that?" said Chad, picking up the ball and heading into the house.

"Practice," said Troy. And it was true. Troy practiced all the time, even sometimes in the rain, although not anymore. The pneumonia hadn't been fun. He followed Chad into the living room and sat down near Chad.

"Where are your parents?" said Chad. "I've only seen your dad once all day, and then he left." Troy looked around. It was odd.

"Mom's probably upstairs, sleeping. We have been outside all day," said Troy. Ryan walked into the room and sat down in another chair. "Hey, Ryan."

"Hi, Troy," said Ryan. He looked a little afraid, but Troy couldn't really tell. "Your mom says hi, by the way. She's been upstairs in the attic all day. She's doing something…I don't know and she says to make dinner for ourselves and to tell your dad where she is, should he come home any time soon." Chad and Troy looked at each other. They both got up and raced to the fridge. Troy got there first. As Troy made the three of them sandwiches, Ryan and Chad sat at the table. They had been such good friends since that summer, when they had played the baseball game. Troy thought about that summer as he served the food and sat down to eat with his buddies.

He thought about Gabriella, and how much he loved her, and about his vow to her. He didn't know what he would do if she left him again. Those four days over the summer had been unbearable. But he needn't think about that, she had promised him that she was his forever. Troy smiled to himself and took a big bite from his sandwich. It was his favorite, honey glazed roast beef with American Swiss cheese with lots of mayonnaise.

**A/N: OMG. Out of the entire written story, chapter 40 is the funniest, and chapter 41 is the best. That's my opinion. Anyone else have an opinion?**

**Why is chapter 42 names Almost Paradise? Well, because what Gabi says to Ryan is basically from the song "Almost Paradise" from Footloose, even though I didn't remember that at the time.**

**In response for everyone waiting for the Troypay to start: Do not worry. It is **_**so**_** coming. You need not worry on account of the Troypay.**

**And for everyone thinking "OMG, how could Gabi do that? Especially right there where Troy could see!" Yes, that is what I'm thinking too. But love (even the extremely watered down version discussed here) can make you do insane things. Trust me.**

**Okay, so I don't own anything, thanks for reading, and please review!! (Or next time I'll use more exclamation points.)**

**Samantha.**

**"I swear that I could see forever in your eyes...Paradise..."**


	10. Chapters 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

**Chapter Forty-Four – Monday Morning  
(Sharpay)**

When Sharpay arrived at school the next morning, she wasn't pleased to see that Ryan, Troy, and Gabriella had beaten her there. She walked into Ms. Darbus's homeroom, and slammed the bag full of Ryan's stuff onto his desk where he was sitting.

"Thought you might be needing this," said Sharpay.

"Thanks, Shar," said Ryan. After this brief interlude they went back to pretending that the other didn't exist, or at least Sharpay did, while Ryan looked through the bag. "Is my music in here?" he asked. Sharpay nodded. "Thank you," Ryan said. Sharpay's conscience was clear. At that moment, Ms. Darbus walked into the room and gave her usual morning announcements, including the one about the auditions. Sharpay was very excited. They were this afternoon, right after school.

As first period Algebra One dragged on, Sharpay kept running through the words to her audition song in her head. When she got to English, she hadn't read a word of the Wizard of Oz, but she didn't care. She and Troy partnered up, and as he recounted the book to her, she stopped him.

"The scarecrow has a name, it's Fiyero. He's in love with Elphaba, that's the Wicked Witch of the West. Her sister, Nessarose, is the Wicked Witch of the East. They all went to school together along with Galinda, who is now just Glinda, and Boq, who is now the tin man. And the Wizard isn't all that Wonderful. He's really Elphaba's father, but she doesn't know that. And it was all Madame Morrible's fault, really. And all Elphie really wanted was the shoes. They were Nessa's and that wretched little farm girl walked off with them. Takes a dead woman's shoes, she must have been born in a barn. Why didn't I play Elphie?" she asked. Troy was looking at her like she was crazy, and he went back to explaining the book. The teacher assigned them an essay to write on the Wizard of Oz.

When the bell rang for History, Sharpay was less than excited. She didn't like having the same class as Gabriella, and it was really hard. She doodled the words to her audition song in her notebook. She was very relieved as the lunch bell rang. She hurried to her usual table on the second level of the café. She wondered why it looked so empty but then remembered that Ryan and Kelsi weren't speaking to her. It was probably for the best, she thought as she ate.

**Chapter Forty-Five – The Break Up  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella sighed. She was sitting in Spanish with Troy. She had been putting off breaking up with him all day, and here she was. She couldn't put it off any longer.

"Troy, te dejo," she said. She hated the thought of what she was doing to Troy, but then Ryan's smiling face floated into her head. She had to do this.

"What?" said Troy. He wasn't very good at Spanish.

"Troy, I don't know how to say this, but te dejo. Je te quitte. I'm breaking up with you," she said. Gee, you have to be trilingual just to break up with this guy, she thought. Troy's face was one of complete and utter disbelief. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the box that contained the ring and necklace. "Here, I'm giving these back."

"But why? I thought we were in love," said Troy. Gabriella's eyes filled with tears at the sight of Troy's grief-stricken face. "Is there someone else?" Gabriella nodded. She didn't think she could get out another word through the tears. "Who?" Gabriella shook her head. "You're not going to tell me?" Gabriella nodded. "Gabs, what's going on?" Gabriella took a deep breath.

"I'm breaking up with you. I–" began Gabriella. She took another deep breath to hold back the tears. "There's someone else. I love him, and that's all I can say." Fortunately, the bell rang just then, and Gabriella gathered her stuff and ran out of the classroom. She knew Troy was watching her. Her tears dried instantly as she met up with Ryan. They walked down the hall.

"What's wrong, Gabs?" said Ryan, putting his arm around her shoulders. She put an arm around his waist.

"I broke up with Troy, and it was sad. But now I'm with you, and it's happy again," she said. They got to the Physics classroom, to find that they would be doing a lab with vectors. "He took it pretty well, but I'm sure it was just a cover up. He was definitely pretty confused. Although that could have been because I broke up with him in three different languages." They completed the lab and white-boarded their answers. The teacher came around and gave them a 10 out of 10 for getting the exact expected results. "I don't know what will happen though, because I didn't tell him about you," she continued.

"I'm sure it will all turn out okay. I packed my car this morning, so when he kicks me out all I'll have to do is leave," said Ryan. Gabriella knew that it was an inevitable fact. Troy was going to find out sooner or later. She just had to tell him. "Or maybe you don't have to tell him. We could just not tell him, and he'd just figure it out for himself." There was a pause. "No, you've got to tell him, but not until later, okay? We have to get through auditions and b-ball practice first." There was another pause as the bell rang. "But there's no reason to avoid him, so to homeroom we go." Gabriella took his hand and they walked back to Ms. Darbus's homeroom.

Upon their arrival, they sat down in their usual seats, which were coincidentally situated right behind the people that they were no longer speaking to. Troy walked in closely followed by Sharpay who was now wearing different clothes than she had been that morning. Gabriella thought this typical Sharpay behavior. Troy's eyes met hers as he sat down. "Nine months," he said to her. "Nine months, and this is how it ends." She nodded, and tried not to look at Troy or Ryan for the remainder of the period. When the bell finally rang, Gabriella, Troy, Sharpay, and Ryan all made their way to the auditorium, where auditions were to be held. As the students auditioning for the smaller roles read monologues, Gabriella thought about all the good times she had had with Troy. She knew he must also be thinking about them. But Gabriella also thought about the good times she was sure to have with Ryan.

She was pulled out of her reverie by Ms. Darbus calling, "Gabriella and Troy!"

"Actually, Ms. Darbus, I'm going to be auditioning with Ryan, and Troy's singing alone," said Gabriella. She stood up along with Ryan, and they made their way onstage where two microphones stood waiting for them. Ryan cued Kelsi, and the brand new couple sang their way through one of the most romantic duets in all of Musical Theatre, which had newfound meaning for the both of them. When they were finished, there was applause. They sat back down in the audience to watch as Troy sang Ladies' Choice, and Sharpay sang Kiss the Girl, applauding for each when they finished. Then Ms. Darbus announced callbacks, and everyone left. Callbacks were to be on Friday.

Gabriella and Ryan parted in the hall. Ryan had basketball practice, and Gabriella was meeting Taylor for the first meeting of their clubs. Gabriella was dreading the next part of her breakup so much, if it weren't for Ryan, it probably wouldn't have been worth it.

**Chapter Forty-Six – Conspiracy?  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay followed Ms. Darbus to the Drama Club room. Upon their arrival, Sharpay collapsed into the couch. She had almost never sung by herself before. "Ms. Darbus, I don't suppose you know who you're going to cast yet, because I think that I would be perfect for Stacey," said Sharpay, as Ms. Darbus shuffled her papers, evidently looking for a script. "And I think that Troy would be perfect for Keith. Which leaves Ryan and Gabriella as Brian and Amanda. It's perfect." She looked expectantly at Ms. Darbus.

"Sharpay, I will be making this decision myself, but I have to say that's exactly what I was thinking. I personally think that you star opposite your brother too much and this play was a good way to find diversity," said Ms. Darbus, who had found her script and was now sitting in a chair, reading through it. "And with you and Ryan not speaking, and now that Troy and Gabriella have broken up it does seem like the only choice we've got."

"Troy and Gabriella didn't break up, did they?" asked Sharpay. Ms. Darbus nodded. "Can you excuse me for a bit?" Sharpay left the room and ran down the hall to the Room 125, where Gabriella and Taylor were holding their clubs. Sharpay had memorized the afternoon schedule. "Gabriella, can I talk to you?" she said when she arrived. Gabriella walked with her into the hall. "Did you really break up with Troy?"

"Yes, Sharpay, you will be very happy to know that he is all yours now," said Gabriella. Sharpay was halfway to a malicious grin when she realized the tone of Gabriella's voice.

"Wait. You dumped him? Why? For who? Or is it whom?" said Sharpay.

"Yes, I dumped him. He's all yours now. Goodbye," said Gabriella. She turned away and went back into the room, closing the door behind her. Sharpay thought this breakup very out of the blue. She checked her watch. It was that time of day when the boys would be in the locker room after their practice. She raced there hoping to find some answers. She almost ran into Troy upon her arrival.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your breakup, Troy, but don't worry. I'm here for you," said Sharpay, sympathetically.

"Sharpay, I don't really want to talk about it, and for the eighth time this week, no, I don't want to go out with you again," said Troy. Sharpay scowled.

"It would make Gabriella jealous," she offered.

"No, it wouldn't. She's already got someone else," said Troy. Sharpay wondered who on earth that could be and then gasped. "What?"

"Do you know who this someone else is?" she asked him, positively grinning. Troy shook his head. "Why don't you go and see if my dear brother knows," she said to him, turning him around and pushing him to give him a head start. Sharpay sat admiring her nails until she heard the telltale shriek that told her that she was right. Troy came running back towards her. "Was I right?" she asked, innocently.

"Did you do this? Are you paying him somehow? And how you got Gabriella roped in on this I can't even begin to imagine," said Troy, very fast, suddenly furious. Sharpay couldn't see what on earth he was talking about.

"What on earth are you talking about? Ryan and I haven't spoken since Thursday. Gabriella genuinely broke up with you. I had nothing to do with it," she told him. Sharpay caught sight of Ryan looking at them and smiled sweetly. Ryan looked even more furious than Troy, if that was possible. Sharpay watched from behind Troy as Ryan left the locker room. "And now it looks like Prince Charming has gone to find his good lady," she said to him. Troy whipped around to see the locker room door shut.

Troy made to follow him, but Sharpay grabbed the back of his shirt. "Let me go," he said, struggling furiously. Sharpay had much practice in such arts, and didn't budge.

"Stay with me, Troy, and everything will be better," she said, retracting him to her, while standing up. She planted a big one on his lips, and felt him returning the favor for the first time in two and a half years. It felt good. "See," she said, ending the kiss, "it's going to be all right. Just stay with me. That's right." He had stopped struggling to get away and she let go. He stood limply next to her. Sharpay saw the rest of his basketball team staring and said, "What are you looking at?"

"Sharpay, I don't know what to say," said Troy. "I'm still not going to date you. This doesn't change anything." And he turned and left the locker room.

**Chapter Forty-Seven – Love and Kissing  
(Ryan)**

Ryan ran down the hall in the direction of Room 125. He opened the door and went inside. He found Gabriella in the midst of a math problem. She looked at him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Troy…knows…Sharpay…told…very…angry," Ryan gasped. He was in good shape, but not that good. He took deep breaths.

"That's probably not good," said Gabriella.

"Oh, you think?" said Ryan, sarcastically. Gabriella laughed.

"Um, Gabriella, did I miss something?" said Taylor. Ryan looked between her and Gabriella.

"You didn't tell her?" said Ryan. Gabriella shook her head. "Gabriella dumped Troy for me and now Troy found out about the me part, and he's really angry. It really is a good thing we foresaw this," he added to Gabriella.

"Wait, you broke up with Troy? For Ryan? Are you crazy?" said Taylor.

"Yes, yes, and no I'm not crazy," said Gabriella. "Can we drop this, please? It's not a big deal."

"It's a huge deal. It's the biggest deal since…since the New Deal," said Taylor.

"Fine, but now is not the time," said Gabriella. She had been packing during this whole thing. "Let's go," she said to Ryan, but it was too late. Troy burst into the room with Sharpay and Chad right behind him. "Hey, man, what's up?" Gabriella said to Troy, stepping in front of Ryan.

"I'll tell you what's up! Ryan is what's up. And I know Sharpay's behind this," said Troy, "so you can stop this whole charade now. It was funny. Now stop."

"What are you talking about? I broke up with you. For Ryan. And Sharpay had nothing to do with it," said Gabriella. Ryan noticed everyone else's heads following the conversation like a tennis match. "Believe me, I would never do anything because Sharpay told me to."

"I told you I had nothing to do with it," said Sharpay. Troy ignored her.

"You know, Troy," said Ryan, stepping out from behind Gabriella, "this may be the one time Sharpay _is_ telling the truth. This is really my fault, not hers, and certainly not Gabriella's. And you can be as mad at me as you want, but that's probably not going to change anything." He looked at Troy who had been seething, but had stopped.

"Sharpay really had nothing to do with it?" said Troy. Ryan shook his head. Ryan took a deep breath to continue talking, but Troy cut him off. "You stole my girlfriend?" Ryan nodded timidly. He was afraid of the wrath of Troy and had not anticipated that this fight would happen at the school in front of so many watching observers, most whom were freshmen. "So that's why you were gone so long yesterday to her house. And why she even came over in the first place. You two have been having this big secret relationship! That's it. That is it, isn't it?" Ryan shook his head. "Then what is it?"

"Yesterday, she came over to your house to tell me that she was going to stay with you. Then we went back outside to watch your game, and I asked her that if there was no you if it would be me that she picked, and she said yes, and kissed me. And then I drove her home. And we kissed again in my car. And I asked her if that's the way it was going to be, and she said yes. So we went inside and I told her that she really shouldn't do this just because of my feelings, and after a few failed attempts, she managed to tell me that love is looking into someone's eyes and finding forever, and she apparently found forever in mine," explained Ryan. He looked at Troy, who was still angry. He looked at Gabriella, who was watching Troy's eyes dart around the room. He looked at Taylor, who was shocked. He looked at Chad, who was staring very pointedly downwards. And he looked at Sharpay, who was positively grinning.

"So, that's how it really happened? This is all Gabriella's fault?" said Troy.

"No, I said it was my fault," said Ryan.

"But in your little story she was the one to initiate the kissing," said Troy.

"Yes, but only because I was in love with her. It all comes back to me, and for what it's worth, I'm really sorry you had to find out like this," said Ryan, sending a glare in the direction of Sharpay.

"I believe you," said Troy. He left the room, closely followed by Sharpay.

**Chapter Forty-Eight – Wait!  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella looked at Ryan, who looked back. There were shocked faces around the room. Taylor and Chad, in particular, were very shocked. "So, as I was saying, the answer is six, see you all tomorrow after school," said Gabriella, taking Ryan's hand and pulling him out of the room. Ryan closed the door behind them, and Gabriella ran down the hall. "Troy, wait!" she said. She could just see Troy turning around to look at her. She ran towards him. "Troy, I didn't mean for this to happen, I just…love him, I guess."

"I thought you loved me, because that's what you told me. I'd be careful with that word if I were you," said Troy.

"I did. I did love you. I went over to your house to tell Ryan that I picked you, honest. And then out of nowhere, I changed my mind, and I'm sorry," said Gabriella. "I know we said that no crazy, left-handed, singing, blonde people could break us up, but I was thinking of Sharpay. And then again when we said that no member of the Evans family could take us away from each other. It's kind of ironic, I guess. Everyone thought that if anyone was going to break us up it would be Sharpay, when in reality it was Ryan. Well, really, me, but also Ryan." She looked into Troy's eyes. "Please don't be angry with us," she pleaded. Troy shook his head and turned back around.

"Nine months. Nine months, and this is how it ends," he repeated, as he and Sharpay left. Gabriella sighed.

"Where do you suppose he's going?" said Ryan. "He doesn't have a car here, we took mine this morning."

"Sharpay will probably drive him to your house, I guess," said Gabriella. The ultimate worst had happened. Sharpay had gotten Troy. "I suppose, though, it doesn't count if he leaves with her voluntarily. She didn't really win, he chose it. It's like the lesser of the two evils." She walked out the front door, with Ryan at her shoulder. They got into his car. After a brief contemplation of where they should go, they decided to go to Troy's house.

Upon their arrival, they sat down at the dining room table to await Troy's return to the house. After about twenty minutes, that very well could have been several hours, Troy walked in the door. He noticed them sitting there, and said, "Oh, it's you."

"Yes, Troy, it's us," said Gabriella. "We came back here to say again that we're sorry and that we didn't mean for it to end up like this." Sharpay walked in the door at that moment.

"I'm going upstairs," said Troy. "Ryan can stay here if he really wants to, I don't even care." He disappeared up the stairs with Sharpay following closely behind.

"So, he seems to be pretty over you," said Ryan. "I wonder why it took them twenty minutes to get here, especially since they left first."

"Oh, gee, I wonder," said Gabriella, sarcastically. "He's really upset right now. Sharpay isn't what he needs, and he knows that. What is he doing to himself?"

"I don't know, but I know one thing for certain. I never, ever want to break up with anyone. This sucks," said Ryan. Gabriella looked at him and they both laughed. "Let's go," he said, and they got back into Ryan's car. "Are you hungry?" he said to her as he drove. She nodded. When the car finally stopped, she looked around and realized they were at the Pizza Place. She got out and took Ryan's hand, and together they embarked on the journey of their first official date. Once inside, they found their regular booth half-occupied by Taylor and Chad. Gabriella pulled Ryan into the booth. Chad and Taylor looked up.

"We've actually been expecting you. Congratulations," said Taylor. "By the way, it's pretty much common knowledge in the school that you and Troy broke up and that you and Ryan are together, and that Sharpay is with Troy."

"But Troy isn't with Sharpay," Gabriella said, frowning.

"Gabs, think of where they are right now," said Ryan.

"Oh, yeah," she said. "So the good news is that Troy seems to be over being angry. The bad news is that he seems to be taking our breakup out on Sharpay, which isn't helped by the fact that that's exactly what she wants."

"By the way, we're not taking sides in this," said Chad. "You know, in case you were wondering. We decided that there's no right or wrong, and also because we'd probably break up in the process, because I'd choose Troy, and Taylor would choose you." Gabriella thought this was good to know.

**A/N: Okay, kids, I'm **_**sorry**_**. I really am. I couldn't fit the Troypay into this update. But I swear it is coming in the next one, whenever that is. Although, it might be a while because I seem to be experiencing a severe lack of reviews. I don't know what that's about, but anyways, thanks for reading, and PLEASE review. Please??**

**Samantha.**

**And I don't own anything. As always.**


	11. Chapters 49, 50, 51, 52

**Chapter Forty-Nine – OMG, it's Troypay.  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay sat on Troy's bed, looking around the room. It would be impossible to tell that her brother had lived here for the past four days if she didn't know it. He had cleared out quite fast. Troy was sitting on his bed, too. He was looking at a ring in a box. "Nice ring," she said.

"I gave it to Gabriella on Thursday for our anniversary. She never wore it," said Troy. He was really sad for some reason. She tried to turn this breakup into a positive thing.

"But now you have me!" said Sharpay. Troy looked at her.

"The problem is I don't want you and you won't go away," said Troy. "Sharpay, I said I was fine with this, but I'm really, really not."

"Well, that's obvious," said Sharpay. "It'll all be okay. Don't worry. I'm here for you."

"Sharpay," said Troy, suddenly sitting up and turning on a light, "I don't want to be with you. Would you please stop?" Sharpay sat up too and looked at him like he was talking crazy.

"But I don't want to stop. And neither do you, I can tell," said Sharpay.

"Okay, you're right. I want you to be my stand-in Gabriella. Would you do that, for me?" asked Troy. Sharpay thought. She didn't like the idea of being a replacement for Gabriella, but any way to get close to Troy was a good way.

"Sharpay, Troy. Troy, Sharpay. It just makes sense," said Sharpay. "Although, evidently not to you, but don't worry, it will. I'll be your Gabriella." Sharpay looked at Troy, and he looked back. Then, he frowned.

"Your eyes are brown," said Troy. Sharpay nodded. She knew that. "Ryan's are blue."

"Yeah, we're not identical twins, Troy," said Sharpay.

"Okay, whatever you say," said Troy. Sharpay smiled. That's right. He would do whatever she said. She lay back on the bed. This was going to be good.

**Chapter Fifty – Gabriella's house  
(Ryan)**

"No, no, no," Ryan was saying. "Something happened their senior year, and Marnie and Cody broke up, and that's why she can get together with Ethan." He was trying to explain the Halloweentown movies to Gabriella.

"Okay, that makes sense," said Gabriella. "And I might add that Ethan Dalloway is very handsome." Ryan cleared his throat. "But not as handsome as you."

"Thanks. You know, if they ever made a movie of my life, which I don't know why anyone would want to, but if they did, I think he would do a great job as me," said Ryan. Ryan looked at Gabriella, and they both laughed. They were sitting in Gabriella's living room, putting off the decision of where Ryan should go, since Troy said he could stay with him. "You know, Troy didn't seem as mad as I thought he was going to be."

"I know, I thought he was going to be angrier," Gabriella said. "He only shouted once."

"Well, you should have seen him in the locker room," Ryan said. "He shrieked. It was kind of scary. He sounded like Sharpay. It was interesting, though, how he thought that Sharpay was behind the whole thing. Come to think of it, she did have a plan, and she did kind of cause the whole thing."

"How do you mean?" said Gabriella.

"Well, she told you that I liked you, and that's how you found out in the first place. If it wasn't for that, you still wouldn't know," said Ryan. "I wasn't going to tell you, that's for sure." He caught sight of Gabriella's face. "I didn't tell her to do it, you saw how upset I was."

"Yeah," said Gabriella. Ryan looked at her.

"Gabriella, I'm not making you do this. You can do whatever you want," he said. "And I'll be fine."

"No, this is what I want. I'm sure," she said. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you, remember?"

"I just want to make sure you're not doing this just for me. You should be doing it for yourself. And I love you, too," said Ryan. Gabriella sat up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just wondering what Sharpay and Troy are up to," said Gabriella. "It's probably nothing, but it does seem kind of coincidental that she was there." She paused and Ryan continued to look at her. "Although, I kind of told her that Troy was all hers, and I regret that a little. That's definitely not what he needs." Ryan watched her get up and pace around the coffee table. "And it worries me that he's going to do something stupid, or jump off something really tall."

"He wouldn't jump off something _really_ tall," said Ryan. "He's too smart for that." He noticed that Gabriella was looking at him. He looked into her eyes, and she looked into his, and, for the first time, Ryan realized that you could find forever in someone's eyes. "There really is forever in your eyes," he said. Gabriella smiled.

"And there's forever in yours," Gabriella said. She sat back down on the couch beside Ryan, who put an arm around her. "We've gotten off track, though. Where are you going to go? The way I see it, there are three options. 1) you go back to Troy's house, 2) you go back to your house, or 3) you stay here."

"You forgot about secret option number four," said Ryan.

"And what would that be?" said Gabriella.

"I was hoping you knew," he said. They both laughed. "Okay, seriously, though, what's going to happen?" Ryan thought.

"Well, mom said you could stay here. You could even have the extra bedroom," said Gabriella.

"Is that really what you want?" said Ryan.

"Yes," said Gabriella. "Stay here." Ryan nodded and went out to his car. Five minutes later, he was pulling his duffel into Gabriella's living room. "What do you keep in here?" asked Gabriella.

"Oh, you know, bricks, and the like," said Ryan, laughing. "Just clothes and stuff." Ryan and his girlfriend began dragging his duffel bag up the stairs.

**Chapter Fifty-One – Wonderful  
(Troy)**

Troy was sitting at his dining room table with his parents and Sharpay. They were all eating the spaghetti and meatballs Troy's mother had made for dinner.

"So, let me get this straight," Troy's mother was saying. "Gabriella dumped you for Ryan. He left here with all of his stuff, and now you're going to go out with his sister?"

"That is correct," said Troy. "Can we not talk about it?" He really didn't want to talk about it anymore. After Troy had told Sharpay she could be his stand-in Gabriella, she had taken the box with Gabriella's ring and necklace and was now wearing both. He glared at the T now glinting from the light of the chandelier on Sharpay's neck. She didn't deserve it, but she was Sharpay, which pretty much entitled her to whatever she wanted. And what she wanted was him. They ate in silence, and when everyone was done, Troy's mother took the dishes to the sink.

"So, what about your team, _captain_?" asked Troy's dad. "How does that work with Ryan now?"

"I'm not mad at Ryan. I even told him he could stay here. He can stay on the team. I just have to talk to Gabriella. Alone," he added with a look towards Sharpay, who had taken on an innocent smile again. Troy hated that smile. Sharpay had convinced him to do the callbacks with her, and she had decided they would sing Sharpay's version of You Are the Music in Me, since they had a limited time to prepare and they both knew the song. "I'm going to call her."

Troy went upstairs to his room and closed the door. He picked up his phone and dialed Gabriella's number. When she picked it up, there was laughter, a shush and then she said, "Hello?"

"Gabriella, hi, it's me, um, Troy," said Troy. "I need to talk to you."

"Um, sure," she said. There was another shushing noise on the other end of the phone, and then she said, "Go ahead."

"Gabs, I just want you to know that I'm not mad at you. Or Ryan. Love works in mysterious ways, and if you two are meant to be, you're meant to be. So no hard feelings. And I'll see you both tomorrow, right?" said Troy.

"Yeah, Troy. And listen, before you go, I just want you to know that I really am sorry. Especially about Sharpay," said Gabriella.

"Yeah, I know. You can stop saying it," said Troy. "I'll see you tomorrow." And he hung up the phone. "Sharpay, you can come in," he added in a slightly louder voice, and Sharpay opened the door to his room and entered.

"How did you know?" said Sharpay, sitting down on his bed.

"I know you," said Troy. He did indeed know Sharpay. Freshman year he had gotten to know her more than he had wanted to. She had been at his house all the time. It had been amazing, while it had lasted, but after a while it had gone really bad. "Listen, Sharpay. This isn't going to be like last time, okay? There will be no repeats of what happened before. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Troy," said Sharpay. Troy quit pacing his room and sat down in his desk chair. "What are you doing?" Troy looked at her incredulously.

"We have to write an essay on the Wizard of Oz for English, remember?" said Troy.

"Oh right. Collaborative essay #1. Okay, well, let's get to it. I think our topic should be 'The Wizard and why he is the way he is'." said Sharpay.

"Okay. Do you have reasons to back this up?" said Troy. He was very interested in her reasoning, as she hadn't even read the book. As she began recounting all of her reasoning, Troy realized that it was pretty solid with the book, except for the part about him being the Witch of the West's father, but if she really wanted to include that, he figured they probably should. As he wrote, Sharpay was singing a song, which Troy thought must have been entitled Wonderful. It sounded awfully showtunes-y to Troy.

"Wonderful. They called me Wonderful. So I said Wonderful, if you insist. I will be Wonderful, and they said Wonderful, believe me it's hard to resist, cause it feels Wonderful. They think I'm Wonderful. Hey, look who's Wonderful, this corn-fed hick! Who thought it might be keen to build a town of green and a Wonderful road of yellow-brick," sang Sharpay. Troy sighed. This was going to be a long assignment.

**Chapter Fifty-Two – Callbacks  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella sat in homeroom on Friday afternoon. The week had passed by rather quickly, without incident. Sharpay walked in with Troy and they sat down. Gabriella still cringed to notice that Sharpay was wearing the T necklace and the ring that Troy had originally given her. Gabriella didn't care very much though, because she was in a very committed loving relationship with her new boyfriend, Ryan. She looked at Ryan, who had been staring at her, and they both smiled. Ryan had moved back into his own house Wednesday afternoon. Gabriella was a little sad he wasn't living at her house, but he came by each morning to drive her to school, even if it was really out of his way, and he made her so happy.

Since they had all made up, they were going on a big double date that night after the final callbacks. Gabriella and Ryan would be doing another beautiful duet, All I Ask Of You, from Phantom of the Opera. It's probably the only duet more romantic than As Long As You're Mine. When at last the bell rang, the four stood up and walked to the auditorium. Ms. Darbus walked in, and called Sharpay and Troy first, and Ryan and Gabriella second. When they were finished, Ms. Darbus asked them if they would all sing a song together. They all obliged, and she handed them music. It was Without Love from Hairspray.

"Ryan, I want you to sing the part of Link. Gabriella, Tracy. Troy, Seaweed. Sharpay, Penny," she said. Kelsi was cued, and they all began to sing. Ryan cued Gabriella when it was her turn to sing. When at last, all the callbacks were all over, they sat down in the audience to await Ms. Darbus's final decision.

"Troy and Sharpay will be playing Keith and Stacey, and Ryan and Gabriella will be playing Brian and Amanda," she said. Ryan and Gabriella looked at each other. There were no surprises, as that was what Sharpay had told them she was planning. The four left the auditorium. Troy had cancelled his basketball practice for that afternoon due to the callbacks, so they left the school immediately with intentions to meet up at the Pizza Place in ten.

Gabriella and Ryan walked to Ryan's car hand in hand. Gabriella was smiling. After all, why shouldn't she? She was in love. They got in the car and Ryan drove.

"Ryan," said Gabriella. She looked at him. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie. I'd look at you, but I'm trying to drive," said Ryan.

"I know," said Gabriella. Gabriella smiled. She thought about Ryan constantly, almost as if she couldn't live without him, which she realized she probably couldn't. Gabriella's thoughts were turned suddenly to Sharpay. She thought about her and Troy, and couldn't help but feel happy for the both of them. Why shouldn't she? They seemed very happy together. Gabriella couldn't see a single reason not to be perfectly happy for them, or any reason that they wouldn't be happy together. Sharpay's moods had evened out significantly since she and Troy had gotten together. Gabriella looked at Ryan, who was concentrating very hard on parking the car.

When they entered the Pizza Place, they found their regular booth already filled with Chad, Taylor, Jason, and Kelsi.

"Hi guys," said Troy. The sight didn't faze Gabriella. Jason and Kelsi had gotten together on Tuesday. "May we join you?" They obliged, and the waiter brought another table so there was room for eight. Ryan, Gabriella, Troy and Sharpay sat down and ordered their meals. "So I guess a double date turned into a quadruple date really fast, didn't it? Quadruple is the right word for four, isn't it?" Gabriella nodded.

"I'm so happy you guys are talking now," said Kelsi. Gabriella smiled. She was glad they had been able to move past the breakup as well.

"Yeah," said Taylor. "And I'm happy that you two finally got together." Gabriella looked at Kelsi and Jason. They were adorable together.

"Yes, it's all very mushy and gross," said Chad. "How were your callbacks? Not that I care, of course."

"They went exactly as planned," said Sharpay.

"Yeah, pretty predictable actually," said Ryan. "Great song, by the way, Kelsi."

"Yeah. I do not enjoy playing that song. The piano solo in the middle is a little much. It's very Sharpay," said Kelsi.

"I'm sure you did a great job," said Jason. Gabriella saw Kelsi smile. Their pizza was delivered, and they all dug in. Gabriella was very happy about the outcome of the past week. She was really looking forward to this school year.

**A/N: When the word "Sharpay" is used as an adjective, it is used in the same sense as "Galindafied". OMG, and it's finally Troypay. And it's finally Jelsi. That didn't take forever, didn't it? (Sarcasm.) Well, not forever and ever. I like the next parts, too. I own diddily-squat. Sorry for the delay in the updating…I was in Vermont. (Which is seven hours from where I live. Approximately.)**

**Thanks for reading, and please review!!**

**Samantha.**


	12. Chapters 53, 54, 55, 56, 57

**Chapter Fifty-Three – Troypay?  
(Sharpay)**

Five o'clock that afternoon found Sharpay and Troy in Sharpay's room. Sharpay was sitting on her bed. Troy was sitting in her desk chair. "Why don't we ever do anything as a couple without Gabriella and Ryan?" said Sharpay.

"Because we're not a couple, Sharpay. Will you please let me do my homework?" said Troy.

"But it's Friday night. We should go out and do something. Together," said Sharpay, pouting.

"I don't see any reason to do that, Sharpay. We're not a couple. I don't think this is getting through to you. We're pretending to be together so that we don't lose face in front of Ryan and Gabriella," said Troy. Sharpay sighed. She really needed Troy to stop being logical for one minute, so he could see her side.

"What if I said…I love you?" said Sharpay.

"You'd be lying," said Troy. Sharpay had to give that one to him. She wasn't in love, she was just vindictive.

"Okay, that's true. What if I said…you love me?" said Sharpay.

"That would also be lying," said Troy. "I don't love you. I never did, and I never will."

"But what about the night on the boat?" said Sharpay.

"Okay, maybe I did love you in the past, but not now," said Troy. Sharpay was making headway. Troy would understand soon.

"Okay, Troy. What do you say to recreating the night on the boat?" she asked.

"No," said Troy. Sharpay scowled. She was beginning to think that she would never crack him.

"How about–" Sharpay began.

"No!" Troy said. "I said no. I don't want to be your real boyfriend. Really."

**Chapter Fifty-Four – Dance With Me  
(Ryan)**

Ryan couldn't believe his ears. He had been standing in the bathroom poised to take a shower for ten minutes listening to Sharpay and Troy argue. There were so many questions running through his head. He went back into his room and called Gabriella, who answered her phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Gabs, it's Ryan. You're never going to believe what I just overheard," said Ryan.

"What?" asked Gabriella. Ryan was pleased to note that she was curious.

"I was standing in my bathroom, you know how it adjoins with Sharpay's room, and I heard her and Troy talking. They aren't really going out. They're pretending the whole thing so that they can save face," said Ryan.

Gabriella gasped. "I don't believe it," she said.

"Would I lie?" asked Ryan. He had a point.

"No, I guess not, but that's so hard to believe. She's wearing my necklace and everything," said Gabriella. "I wonder what they're trying to play at."

"I don't know, but Sharpay is definitely trying to get Troy to stop pretending and really go out with her," said Ryan. "She mentioned a night on a boat. I don't recall them ever having a night on a boat. I wonder what that could be about."

"I think Troy mentioned a night on a boat once, in a direct quote from Sharpay," said Gabriella. "Something about them being together again. Apparently it was the high point of their relationship. You know, before. What are they doing now?"

"Sharpay's trying to convince him to go somewhere with her," said Ryan. Suddenly, an idea dawned on him. "Let's ask them to go somewhere with us. It would be really fun." Gabriella agreed. "Where should we ask them?" Ryan asked. They both thought for a moment.

"Let's take them dancing. There's a teen dance at the Grange tonight. We could take them there," said Gabriella.

"Great idea. I'll talk to them right now," said Ryan. "See you in a bit." They hung up and Ryan went out of his room, across the hall, knocked on Sharpay's door, and was given entry. "Hey, Shar. Hey, Troy. Listen, Gabriella and I are going to this teen dance tonight at the Grange, and we wondered if you wanted to come with us."

"Sure!" said Sharpay. Ryan noticed the excitement in her voice, but Troy looked reluctant.

"We have to write another paper for English. On King Arthur, remember?" said Troy.

"Come on, Troy. I was in Camelot in middle school. I know everything there is to know about King Arthur," said Sharpay. Troy agreed and it was a date. Ryan left the room, smirking to himself. This was going to be fun.

Ryan went back into his room and looked through his closet for something to wear, and finally came across a good outfit and a matching hat.

Ryan got in his car to pick up Gabriella. He was pleased to see that Sharpay and Troy were entering Sharpay's garage. Ryan picked up Gabriella at her house. She was dressed in her red dress that she had worn for We're All in This Together in January. Ryan smiled as she got in the car. She was beautiful, but Ryan was in love with more than just her looks. When they arrived at the Grange, Gabriella took Ryan's arm and they walked inside. Sharpay and Troy were there waiting for them. Ryan pulled Gabriella aside.

"Now remember the plan. We have to be this really adorable couple to make them all jealous and stuff," said Ryan."

"I know, I know," said Gabriella. "This will be so great."

"I just realized we're actually _trying_ to get them together," said Ryan. "Do you suppose that's bad?"

"Well, we're either trying to get them together or to get them to stop lying," said Gabriella. "Either way it would be interesting."

"Okay," said Ryan, and they walked back over to Sharpay and Troy. "So you guys want to dance?"

**Chapter Fifty-Five – Playing the Game  
(Troy)**

"Sure," said Sharpay, grabbing Troy's hand and pulling him onto the dance floor. Troy was not pleased. He did not want to be at this dance, but he couldn't lose face in front of Gabriella and Ryan. As the four danced together, Troy looked around and saw that all these kids went to his school, although he couldn't name many by name. When the song ended, Troy pulled Sharpay off the dance floor on the pretense of getting drinks.

"Look, Sharpay, I don't want to be here, so you could at least respect that and not make me do this," he said. Sharpay looked at him.

"But we're here now, so just try to enjoy it," said Sharpay. Troy looked at the crowd and noticed Ryan staring at them as he was dancing. Troy could tell that he was talking to Gabriella. They were both laughing and looking at him now. They were up to something.

"Sharpay, don't be suspicious, but look at Ryan and Gabriella," he said, sipping his Dr. Pepper. She looked at them and gasped.

"They're staring at us. They're watching what we're doing. Oh, heavens, what will they think up next?" said Sharpay, sarcastically.

"No, they're watching us. They must know we're not together. Ryan must have overheard us talking in your room. They're playing at something. We just have to figure out what it is," he said to Sharpay, looking at her. "In the meantime…are they still watching?"

"Yeah," Sharpay said. Troy was going to regret this, but he took Sharpay and kissed her. "Wow, that was one heck of a kiss. Are you sure you don't want to go out?"

"Yeah, Shar, I think we've had this conversation," said Troy, looking back over at Ryan and Gabriella. "We have to really pretend to be a couple. We can't lose face, remember?" Troy didn't know why he was stressing this so hard. Sharpay really did want to be a couple, and he knew that. Troy wondered why he didn't just ask her back out. No, he couldn't do that. Troy took Sharpay's waist and she took his shoulders and they walked back over to Ryan and Gabriella. "Hey," he said to them. He could tell by the looks on their faces that they were really confused and he smiled. This was sure to be good.

**Chapter Fifty-Six – They Don't Know that We Know that They Know  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella took one look at the look on Troy's face and smiled. She had been confused at first, when she had seen Troy kiss Sharpay, but now she understood. Troy knew that Ryan had overheard him and Sharpay, and now he was just playing along. Well, Gabriella would fix that. "Ryan, can I talk to you over by the soda?" Ryan nodded, and they went over there. She poured herself an orange soda and Ryan a root beer. "They know we're watching them."

"I noticed. What are we going to do?" asked Ryan. Gabriella sipped her soda, thinking. "Well, we'll think of something. In the meantime, act casual."

"Right," said Gabriella, and they walked together back to the dance floor. A slow song began playing. Ryan pulled Gabriella close to him, and they began to dance together. Gabriella saw Sharpay and Troy following suit. After the slow song, there was a fast song. Ryan had amazing dance skills, and every one knew it. They danced for a while with Troy and Sharpay, but eventually, as people do, they got tired. They went back to the same table where they had dropped their jackets and purses.

"I am exhausted," said Sharpay. Everyone agreed.

"Yeah, dancing really takes it out of you," said Troy.

"Not as much as basketball," said Ryan, and everyone laughed. Gabriella took Ryan's arm and put it around her shoulders.

"Aw. Well, aren't you guys just too cute?" said Troy.

"Yeah, we kind of are," said Gabriella.

"And not conceited at all, obviously," said Ryan, and everyone laughed again.

"So, how are you guys?" asked Gabriella. She and Ryan looked at them expectantly. They looked at each other.

"Well, I'm great," said Sharpay. "How are you?"

"You know what we mean. You guys aren't being cute like we are," said Ryan.

"Well, our relationship is based on more than that, apparently," said Troy. Sharpay turned her head so quickly in his direction that she almost beheaded him with her flying hair. "I'm going to go get a soda." He got up and left.

"You know what? Me, too," said Ryan. He got up and followed.

"So, you guys are in a relationship? Because I was under the impression that you weren't," said Gabriella.

"We're not," said Sharpay. "What is up with him today? He's been having really weird mood swings ever since you guys broke up."

"Who knows. It's Troy," said Gabriella. "How come he's so determined to make me and Ryan believe you guys are together when you're clearly not?"

"He doesn't wasn't to lose face," said Sharpay. "Although, you'd think he'd lose more face by going out with me, which he won't. It's kind of sad, really."

"Oh, yes," said Gabriella. "Troy is just a bundle of love." She and Sharpay laughed. "What's wrong with him, anyways? He used to be more…happy, I guess."

"He's been moody lately. And he's really worried about homework," said Sharpay. "And he's been a little spiteful, which worries me. That kiss earlier was like the best one we've ever had, which worries me again, because he was probably thinking about you the whole time."

"So how many people know you're not really going out?" said Gabriella.

"Just us four, I think. We even lied to his parents," said Sharpay. Gabriella looked over at the boys and sighed.

"What did we do to them?" said Gabriella. "I never thought it would end up like this, you know? I thought I'd be with Troy forever and we'd get married and have kids and whatever."

"Well, why didn't that happen?" asked Sharpay.

"Well, then you came along and told me about Ryan, and you heard the story. I just can't believe it's not–" began Gabriella.

**Chapter Fifty-Seven – Poof! Magic Date  
(Ryan)**

"Butter?" asked Ryan, handing Gabriella an orange soda. He and Troy had returned to the table.

"Ha," said Sharpay. "It was so funny I forgot to laugh." Ryan rolled his eyes and sat back down, putting his arm around Gabriella as he did so. Troy sat down with his arm around Sharpay. "Hey cutie."

"Hey baby," said Troy. Ryan smiled. He had talked to Troy about the nature of his and Sharpay's relationship, and Troy had decided to give her another chance. "You and me. Saturday night. We'll go somewhere…classy." Ryan looked at Gabriella, who looked at Troy, who was looking at Sharpay, who was looking at Ryan. Ryan nodded. Sharpay squealed in delight. Ryan chuckled.

"Troy, could you be adorable, and go get me a grape soda?" said Sharpay. Troy agreed and left. "What did you do?" she said to Ryan.

"What?" said Ryan. Gabriella and Sharpay were both staring at him with very wide eyes, and it made him a little scared.

"I have been trying to get him to do that for a week. You spend five minutes together and poof! Magic date!" said Sharpay. "How _do_ you do it?"

"I'm…magic," said Ryan. Sharpay and Gabriella both made "yeah, right" faces. "Okay, I'm not magic. What do you want from me? I thought that's what you wanted. And it makes me happy to see my sister happy." He smiled. Gabriella and Sharpay still looked suspicious, but they dropped it. They had a good reason to be, but Ryan couldn't talk about it in front of Sharpay. Troy handed Sharpay her soda and sat back down with his arm around her.

"Aw, you guys are being all cute and stuff," said Gabriella. "I thought your relationship was based on more than that."

"It is," said Troy, "but a sense of comfort is always comforting."

"Yeah, because that's not redundant or repetitive or saying the same things over and over again," said Gabriella. Everyone laughed. "Who wants to dance again? I love this song." Ryan got up and followed Gabriella to the dance floor. "What did you do?" she asked him.

"Oh, nothing. Just a little incentive. The sooner he starts actually dating Sharpay, the sooner he can actually break up with her," said Ryan. "It doesn't really make sense to me, but he bought it, so there they are. And they're all cute and stuff."

"That's…strangely cynical for you, Ryan. What's going on?" said Gabriella.

"Well, if they actually do go out, then we can double date. That would be fun. Plus we could do other couple stuff. And it makes Sharpay happy, and anything to keep her happy, right?" said Ryan.

"I guess so," said Gabriella. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"No, but Troy does," said Ryan, "which is odd."

"You don't think–" began Gabriella.

"He's actually in love with her?" finished Ryan. "I doubt it. You never know."

"Wouldn't that be interesting though?" said Gabriella. "Imagine that." Ryan tried to imagine Sharpay and Troy's wedding day.

"Nope, I can't imagine it," he said. He stole a glance at Troy and Sharpay. "Hey, look at them. We're not even looking and they're still being cute."

"Do you suppose it's real this time?" said Gabriella. Ryan nodded vigorously.

"Yes, I do believe so," said Ryan. "Look at them now."

"Okay, you've got a point," said Gabriella. "Seriously, get a room." They both laughed. A slow song started, and Ryan saw Troy pull Sharpay out onto the dance floor. Ryan smiled to see his good work.

"We do good work, Gabs," said Ryan, smiling at her, as they slow-danced.

"I think this one is all you, Ry," said Gabriella. Ryan smiled even wider, and leaned in for a kiss, which he received. "I love you."

"I love you, too," said Ryan. He was happy he was finally with Gabriella. And Gabriella was happy too, and that was what mattered.

**A/N: At the time I was writing this, I was kind of obsessed with Return to Halloweentown, because Lucas Grabeel was amazing in it, so that's the thing at the very beginning. So, my readers, there is real, actual, Troypay now. (I think. I'll have to read my notes.) And kudos to anyone who figured out it was fake before. **

**So. I own High School Musical. I've also been to Pluto and Jupiter, and discovered that Zeke's chocolate chip cookies taste even better at zero gravity. Can everyone tell I'm joking? Good.**

**Thanks for reading, and please review!!**

**Samantha.**


	13. Chapters 58, 59, 60, 61

**Chapter Fifty-Eight – Big Date  
(Troy)**

Troy was sitting on the couch in his living room. He was dressed fancily, because he had to pick up Sharpay for their date soon. He couldn't actually believe he was going to go back out with her. He was definitely going to regret it. Troy looked at his wrist and registered the time as 7:45. He would leave in five minutes. Troy's dad walked in the room.

"So, tonight's the night?" he asked. Troy nodded. He felt as if he opened his mouth he would be sick. "Big date. Sharpay. Round Two. How do you feel?" Troy shook his head. "Okay, don't talk about it. You'd better go pick her up, though."

"I know," mumbled Troy. He got in his truck and drove to the Evans mansion. When he rang the doorbell, Ryan answered to Troy's surprise. "Don't you pay a guy to answer the door?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you," said Ryan. "Shar's still getting ready. She takes forever. Anyways come in." They went into the living room. "I just wanted to tell you that I think it's great you've decided to give her another chance. Even if she doesn't deserve it."

"I know," said Troy. "It'll make her happy, though, right?" Ryan nodded. Troy couldn't believe he was taking love advice from Ryan, of all people, who had never shown any loving interests in anyone until the week before. But if anyone knew Sharpay, it was Ryan. "Where did you say the reservations are?"

"They're at this nice Asian place. Not too expensive," said Ryan. Troy rolled his eyes. The Evanses didn't know what expensive meant. "Really, though. It's right near the university, and it's usually full of college students. They serve the best Dim Sum. It's really amazing. We used to go there when we were little, and Sharpay loved it. I think it's the right choice."

"Thanks, Ryan," said Troy. Sharpay came into the room at that moment. She was wearing pants and a shirt covered in sparkles. Troy rolled his eyes again. "Ready to go?" Sharpay nodded and took his arm. Troy took her out to his truck and they set off for the downtown area of East Albuquerque. Troy hoped he was doing the right thing. He thought he was, but he couldn't really be sure of it.

**Chapter Fifty-Nine – Late Night  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay walked into her brother's room. It was seven o'clock in the morning on Sunday. He was sitting on his bed reading a book. She struggled to remember his name. "Zac…Troy…Corbin…Lucas…" she began.

"Hi. I'm your brother. My name's Ryan," said Ryan.

"I know that," Sharpay said. She sat down on his bed.

"Shar, you look terrible. Have you been up all night?" said Ryan.

"I don't remember," she said. She had, indeed, been up all night since she and Troy had gotten home from their date around midnight. He had dropped her off at her house and gone home. It had been a wonderful night.

"Shar, you need sleep. Go back to bed," said Ryan. Sharpay shook her head.

"No. I don't want to sleep. I want…Troy," she said. She saw Ryan's eyes get really wide.

"What did you say?" said Ryan. Sharpay detected fear in his voice.

"I don't want to go back to sleep. I want Troy," she repeated.

"I…Shar…I…" Ryan began. He was speechless. Sharpay couldn't think what she had done to make him that way. "It…what?"

"I just said it, like, twice. You really should pay more attention," she said. Ryan set his book down on his nightstand and got off his bed. He paced around his room. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "Ryan. It's too early in the morning. And I don't want sleep. I just came in here to tell you 'Thanks'," Sharpay said. She got off her brother's bed, gave him a hug, and wandered back into her own room. She got into her own bed. She really did need sleep, but she couldn't sleep thinking about Troy. Their date had been so magical. And it was all thanks to Ryan, really. She was thankful for almost the first time in her life that she had a brother. And then she was asleep.

**Chapter Sixty – Sharpay in Love??  
(Ryan)**

Ryan couldn't believe his ears. Sharpay was in love. He hadn't counted on that. Troy was going to get really mad at him. He was about to call him to warn him when he remembered how early it was. He had gone to bed early because he had been tired, and had gotten up early when the sun had come in through his window.

Coincidentally, Ryan had had a dream that night about Sharpay and Troy's wedding day. He and Gabriella had been the best people of honor, and Sharpay had been trying to get away with wearing a bright pink sparkly wedding dress. Their mother would not allow it. Ryan laughed at the thought of the wedding dress and sat back down in his bed. He picked up his book again. It was The Hobbit. He had to read it for his English class. So far it was pretty interesting. He put the book back down and picked up his phone. He texted both Gabriella and Troy with messages to call him as soon as they woke up.

Three hours later, Ryan had finished The Hobbit. He got off his bed and made to sit down at his computer to write about it, but his phone rang. He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ryan, what's up?" It was Gabriella. Ryan breathed a sigh of relief that she had awoken before Troy.

"Gabs, I am going to be in big trouble with Troy," said Ryan.

"But I thought we had gotten past that," said Gabriella.

"No, not because of that. We are past that. No, this is because…how do I say this? Sharpay's in love," said Ryan. There was silence.

"Are you kidding?" said Gabriella. "There is no way."

"It's true. She came in here earlier. She's been up all night. I told her to go back to bed, and she said she didn't want sleep, she wanted Troy. Then she thanked me for setting up their date and left. She gave me a hug, for crying out loud!" said Ryan.

"Wow," said Gabriella. "You really are going to be in trouble with Troy. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know! This is totally unprecedented. Sharpay's never been in love before, even when she was with Troy the last time. They were only together because people expect the hottest guy and girl to go out," said Ryan. Ryan's phone beeped. He looked at it. "Gabs, that's Troy on the other line. I'll call you right back." He pushed the button. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ryan, I got your text. What's up?" said Troy.

"Well, you're not going to want to hear this, but Sharpay's in love," said Ryan. There was silence.

"Sharpay? In love? With whom?" said Troy. Ryan sighed. Boys were clueless.

"You, Troy, duh. Who else is she dating?" said Ryan.

"I don't believe it. Really?" said Troy.

"Yeah, really, she was up all night thinking about you," said Ryan.

"I – that's…fantastic," said Troy. Ryan was about to say something and then stopped. Had Troy said it was fantastic?

"I – what? You're happy about all of this?" said Ryan. "I thought you were going to be really mad."

"Well, normally, I would be, but I kind of miss having a loving girlfriend, at the moment," said Troy. Ryan cringed.

"Sorry about that," he said. That one was his fault too.

"Nah, it's okay. You guys are cute," said Troy.

"Thanks, I guess," said Ryan. "But what are you going to do about Sharpay?"

"I don't know. I'll have to think of something, won't I?" said Troy.

"Yeah. And, look, I'm sorry. If I had seen this coming, I would never have suggested it in the first place," said Ryan.

"Yeah I know. I'll talk to you later, Ryan," said Troy, hanging up. Ryan sighed.

**Chapter Sixty-One – Um, what??  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella sat on her bed staring at her cell phone, waiting for it to ring. When it did, she jumped at it. "Well, is he mad at you?"

"No, he's happy. He says he misses having a loving girlfriend," Ryan said.

"Ouch," Gabriella said. "That's kind of like a kick in the pants, isn't it?"

"Nah, he says it's okay," Ryan said.

"Well, that's good. So, no harm done, right?" Gabriella asked.

"Nope, except for Sharpay. So what are we going to do today?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know. We have to do something," Gabriella said. She cast her mind around for something interesting to do. "Well, doing something with Troy and Sharpay is out of the question, since Sharpay's asleep. I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if we didn't do something together today."

"It wouldn't," Ryan agreed, "but I'd sure miss you."

"I'd miss you, too," Gabriella said. "Why don't you come over here and we can watch movies?"

"Sounds like a plan, Stan," Ryan said.

"My name's Gabriella," Gabriella replied. "I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too," Ryan said. Gabriella hung up the phone. She got dressed in something that wasn't pajamas, but not altogether uncomfortable, because she figured that she would be cuddling with Ryan on the couch. Ryan, her boyfriend, who she was very much in love with.

When he arrived, they spent the rest of the afternoon in the living room watching musicals and chick flicks accompanied by Gabriella's mother's famous brownies, which were, in fact, in Gabriella's opinion, the best brownies in the entire world. Ryan liked them as well. But so did Troy. Wait, she thought to herself, why am I thinking about Troy?

**A/N: Do I ever have a different excuse for forgetting to update this? No. Sorry, I'll think of a new one for next time. My current excuse is that this story is not currently in production (aka I'm not really adding to it at the moment) although, that's not an excuse, because there's tons of it written (okay, not **_**tons**_**). I kind forgot it existed until just now. I forget why. I think I was thinking of things to happen while I was playing basketball…you don't care.**

**Also, I was disappointed by the lack of reviews for the last chapter. Especially after Troypay happened that you all wanted so much. In the future, please tell me (somehow, I don't care how) if I've forgotten about this story again. Review, message me…heck, you could even come and find me where I live and ask me in person if you wanted. It shouldn't be that difficult.**

**Anyway, um….right. Thanks for reading, and please review!! I don't own anything!**

**Samantha.**


	14. Chapters 62, 63, 64, 65, 66

**Chapter Sixty-Two – Time Jump  
(Troy)**

It had been seven weeks since Troy had gotten that fateful news from Ryan. Seven long weeks, interspersed with Drama rehearsals, basketball practice, and a lot of pizza. Troy still wasn't really in love with Sharpay, per se, the kind of love that grown ups think about. He loved her, but more as a friend than anything. Her moods were certainly evening out, and she hadn't yelled at a freshman in a month. This week was special though. This week was the week they would be putting on the Fall Play. The last week of October.

"You know," Troy said to Sharpay that Monday afternoon at rehearsal, "I think we spend more time together in school and rehearsal than we do out of school."

"That's ridiculous, Troy," Sharpay replied. "We spend lots of time together. Even ask Ryan and Gabriella." Gabriella had become Sharpay's new best friend, since they no longer were in competition over Troy, and Gabriella was dating Sharpay's brother. Troy didn't really understand how two enemies could become such great friends so suddenly, but then again, he didn't really understand lots of things.

"I know, but it always seems like when we hang out, we hang out with them. It's like we never do anything without them," Troy continued.

"Do you want to?" Sharpay asked. "Because we can, if you want."

"I don't know," Troy said. "It's just…with me and Gabi, we had single dates all the time, but now it's like all four of us are constantly on some big double date. I mean, we used to double with Chad and Taylor, but they've been going around with Jason and Kelsi a lot more since they got together."

"Well, he is my brother," Sharpay said. "But aren't we supposed to be rehearsing this scene?" Troy sighed. Every time he tried to have this conversation, it ended the same way. With Sharpay coming up with something for them to do to escape the topic. Troy felt that Sharpay didn't get how weird and uncomfortable things were getting between Gabriella and himself. He couldn't stop thinking about her. And sometimes he caught her staring at him, too.

"We were together for nine months, Shar," Troy said. "It's not like I can just forget about her."

"You guys were together for _eight_ months, Troy," Sharpay said. "Even count." Troy proceeded to count, and then laughed in spite of himself.

"Hey, Gabi!" he called over to her. She looked at him. "We only went out for eight months, not nine!" Gabriella laughed and went back to whatever she was doing with Ryan for her scenes. The scenes were mostly either Keith and Stacey scenes, or Brian and Amanda scenes. There was hardly one with all four of them in it. Amanda and Keith had one scene together in particular, though. One with a kiss. Troy and Gabriella were becoming very apprehensive about it, but no one else seemed to notice. Sharpay and Ryan had attempted to teach them the mechanics of a "stage kiss" but they hadn't gotten it, which meant that they were going to have a real kiss, at the very end of the first act.

After rehearsal, Troy went up to Gabriella. "Listen, Gabi, you know, about the kiss on stage," he began.

"I know, Troy," Gabriella said. "It's not real. We're over. I get it."

"That's not what I meant," Troy said. "I mean, we should probably just…go with it. I mean, we've been over for eight weeks, there shouldn't be anything out there, right?"

"Right," Gabriella replied. "There isn't."

"You don't really mean that, do you?" Troy asked.

"No," Gabriella said. "But I can try."

"I know, me too," Troy said. "And we have to. It's just one kiss. On stage. Nothing's going to happen."

"Right," Gabriella said. "Look, I have to go, Ryan's waiting for me."

"Sure," Troy said. Gabriella walked off, and Troy couldn't help but feel something toward her. She was the first, and only, girl he had loved. The past eight weeks, it was like nothing had changed, except for they hung out with Sharpay and Ryan more. If only that kiss would really mean something, but would Troy even have a shot compared to Ryan?

**Chapter Sixty-Three – L.O.V.E.  
(Sharpay)**

Sharpay wasn't stupid. She saw what was going on between Troy and Gabriella. She honestly hoped it was nothing, because she really did like Troy. She was kind of in love with him, in fact. It had taken her longer to realize it than it had Ryan, but she still knew it, none the same. She didn't mind the double dates at all. She loved seeing her brother with the girl of his dreams, especially if that meant that she, Sharpay, could be snuggled into Troy the whole time. She couldn't help but notice, however, the way that Troy constantly pined over Gabriella when he thought no one was watching. What was Sharpay to do? Well, there was a whole plethora of things she could do, but none of them had been working so far. She would just have to see what she could see.

"Troy, darling," Sharpay said. Troy looked at her. "Are you sure you don't want extra lessons on those stage kisses?" Troy shook his head.

"We're never going to get it anyway, what's the point?" Troy asked.

"The point is I won't have to watch my boyfriend kiss his ex," Sharpay said. Troy sighed.

"That's not it, Shar," Troy said. "There is nothing going on between me and Gabi. We're over and done with. She wouldn't ever leave 'RyRy' anyways."

"But you still want her back," Sharpay said.

"Yeah," Troy sighed. Then he stopped and blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Don't you understand, Troy?" Sharpay asked. "This is the same thing that I've had to deal with for two and a half years. And that Ryan dealt with for eight months. Can't you see that?"

"So you're saying it was fine when you guys were doing it, and you guys can have the people you want, but it's not okay for me to do it?" Troy asked. "Is it not just as fair that I should be with the person I love?"

"No!" Sharpay said. "I mean, well, yeah, you should be. I just really wish that person was…me."

"It could have been you," Troy said. "It really, really could have been, but…you were just–"

"Too gosh darn controlling," Sharpay finished. "Yeah, I know the story." There was a pause while they walked through the halls of the school with no real destination in mind. "And I'm not just saying you don't have a chance because I want you for myself. You just really don't have a chance."

"Why?" Troy asked, turning to her, suddenly. "Why don't I have a chance?"

"Have you seen the things Ryan's been writing about Gabriella?" Sharpay asked. "Of course you haven't. Let's go, come on. We're going to my house." Sharpay pulled Troy out of the school, and into her car. Then she drove to her house, and pulled Troy up into Ryan's room. Ryan, thankfully, was out town with Gabriella. Sharpay opened Ryan's laptop to show Troy the letters and Ryan's e-diary. "Just look!"

"Isn't this pretty bad snooping?" Troy asked.

"Oh, we can all hold hands around the campfire some other time," Sharpay said. "Just look at all these. It's like he's written, like, three a week since Valentine's Day. You don't just give something like that up. Not easily, anyway."

"Since when did you get so smart?" Troy asked.

"Well, I am in AP U.S. History," Sharpay said. Troy smiled at her, and gave her a small kiss. "Troy, you don't have to do this, just because I want to, you know. You should…you should do what you want to do."

"This is what I want to do," Troy said. Sharpay raised her eyebrows at him. "Okay, that's a lie, but you, yourself, said I don't have a chance against Ryan. I never wrote any letters about my love for Gabriella. I don't have an e-diary full of all the thoughts I've ever thought about her. He should have her. It's what makes her happy, anyways." Sharpay sighed.

"That you would do that for her probably means more than anything Ryan's ever done for her," Sharpay said. "It would be cute if it weren't breaking my heart."

"Yeah, I know," Troy said. Sharpay smiled, and they both left Ryan's room.

**Chapter Sixty-Four – More Plans  
(Kelsi)**

Kelsi also wasn't stupid. She saw what was going on, too. She saw probably better than anyone. She knew the opinions on both sides, and was surprised that everyone in the school couldn't see that Troy was still pining after Gabriella, even after being broken up for eight weeks.

Kelsi sat in a booth with Jason, her boyfriend of almost eight weeks. Chad and Taylor sat opposite them. "What?!" Taylor asked, incredulously. Kelsi nodded.

"It's true," Kelsi said. "I overheard them talking after rehearsal."

"But that's just not plausible. I mean, he's been with Sharpay for _eight weeks_," Taylor said.

"I'm just telling you, that's what I heard," Kelsi said. "Troy's still desperately in love with Gabriella."

"Don't we owe it to him, as his friends, to help him get the girl?" Jason asked.

"Well, not necessarily," Kelsi said. "Ryan's our friend too."

"Yeah," Chad said. "I mean, Evans deserves the girl too. Probably more than Troy." There were gasps from Jason, in particular, but the two girls as well. "No, I know. He's my best friend, but Troy's got another girl that loves him. Ryan doesn't. This would be so much simpler if they weren't both in love with the same girl."

"Mm," said Kelsi. "Wouldn't it?" The other three nodded in agreement.

"So what are we going to do?" Taylor asked.

"We just have to see which one of them Gabriella really wants to be with," Kelsi said.

"And just ignore any feelings that Sharpay and Ryan might have?" Chad asked.

"I'm not saying it's the right thing to do," Kelsi said. "I'm saying it's what we _have_ to do. We don't have a choice. They're our friends, right?" Nods of agreement came from around the table, and the plan was settled.

**Chapter Sixty-Five – Opening Night  
(Ryan)**

On Opening Night, no one was more nervous than Ryan. He knew his lines, and he knew his dance moves, and he knew his singing parts. That wasn't the part troubling him. It was the Keith and Amanda kiss that was to take place. Both Sharpay and Ryan had tried to talk them into a stage kiss, but they had refused. Ryan was going to have to watch his girlfriend kiss her ex. Sharpay was having similar worries.

"Nothing's going to happen, Ry, stop worrying," Sharpay said. So maybe she wasn't having similar worries.

"But it's Troy and Gabriella. They go together like peanut butter and chromate," Ryan said. Sharpay stared at him.

"I think the phrase is peanut butter and jelly," Sharpay said. "Gabriella's been rubbing her knowledge off on you."

"Yeah," Ryan sighed. "I just wish there was some way to rewrite the script."

"You'd have to do it fast," Sharpay said. "They're already out on stage doing the scene." Sharpay and Ryan peeked through the curtains, even though it was unprofessional to do so, to see Troy and Gabriella reciting lines. They were nearing the end of the scene.

"But you must know, Amanda, I love thee, ardently, passionately," Troy said.

"What is this, the nineteenth century?" Gabriella said. "Get a life, Keith, I have Brian now anyway. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Because…I love you," Troy said. They stared at each other for a whole second before Troy grabbed Gabriella and dipped her into a kiss. The lights onstage went down, and the curtain closed for the intermission. Troy and Gabriella stood up, not looking at each other, and went into the wing where Ryan and Sharpay were standing. Ryan took Gabriella aside, and passed her a bag of Skittles, which were a backstage tradition.

"So, how are you?" Ryan asked. Gabriella shrugged and ate a few Skittles.

"Fine," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Ryan said, feigning innocence.

"Ryan," Gabriella said, catching on, "there is nothing between me and Troy. Anymore. I mean, why would I ever go back to him? Even if he was still in love with me, there's no way he could love me as much as you do. So chill."

"I am chill," Ryan said. "In fact, I was about to ask you to the Halloween dance. It's on Friday, after the performance."

"Well, we'll be here anyway, we might as well go," Gabriella said. "Are Troy and Sharpay going?"

"I don't know," Ryan said. "Most likely. It's Sharpay, and there's dancing. I think Kelsi is going with Jason, and Chad said he's going with Taylor."

"Oh, right, I think she told me that," Gabriella said, nodding. "These Skittles are amazing, by the way. What kind are they?"

"The purple kind," Ryan said, looking at the wrapper and deciding that he wouldn't try to read the small print on it. "Island…something." Ms. Darbus came by at that second.

"Great job in the first act, both of you," she said. "Places, the second act's about to start." Ryan stashed his Skittles back in his bag, and hurried back to the wings with Gabriella for the beginning of the second act. The lights came up on the stage, and the curtain opened.

"But, seriously, Amanda, why didst thou kiss him? Dost thou not love me?" Ryan asked.

"Why must all men around here speak like this is the nineteenth century?" Gabriella asked. "And you know I love you, Brian. Keith is merely jealous."

"And that shall be the reason as to why he sent me this?" Ryan said, holding up his prop, which was a hat with an arrow through it. "'Tis a death threat of sorts, I believe."

"Oh, pish-tosh," Gabriella said. "Maybe he just liked the hat."

"Don't get wise, Amanda," Ryan said. "It does not do thee well."

**Chapter Sixty-Six – Oh, Darnz  
(Troy)**

Opening Night had been a great success. The newspaper reviewed it with 4 ½ stars, with exceptional cast and crew. Sharpay had the article framed and put it in her room. She then proceeded to show everyone who came by.

"Sharpay, I am aware of the article," Troy said, the fourth time she had shown it to him. "You've shown me, like, seven times. Can we focus on the more pressing issue?"

"Which is the fact that you're still in love with Gabriella, and even though it really, really breaks my heart, I'm going to see if she'll take you back?" Sharpay asked.

"Shh! Do not speak aloud of the plan," Troy said. "Is Ryan home?"

"No, he's out with Gabi," Sharpay said. "A place that I'd like to be right now."

"Out with Gabriella?" Troy asked, confused.

"No, just out, in general," Sharpay said. "We never go anywhere anymore."

"We haven't gone anywhere since Monday. It's Friday. It's not like it's been forever," Troy said. "And ever," he added as an afterthought.

"Uh-huh," Sharpay said. "Still, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"No," Troy said. "I really, really don't. Gabriella is happy beyond all possible meanings of the word with Ryan, and I know I can't make her as happy as he can. He is so much better than me."

"Don't say that!" Sharpay protested. "You're Troy Bolton! You're a million times better than Ryan."

"Ryan's your brother," Troy pointed out.

"So? It's true!" Sharpay said.

"No, it's not," Troy said. "It's not and you know it. This is why you and Ryan can never get along. You never treat him like a real person. He's…he's the real music in you. It's not me. I don't deserve you, and I don't deserve him, and I don't even come close to deserving Gabriella."

"That was really corny and yes you do!" Sharpay said. "You can deserve Gabriella to the ends of the earth! And all you have to do is just wish it."

"Wishing doesn't help anything," Troy said. "It just creates a false sense of hope."

"What's wrong with hope?" Sharpay asked. "You should always have hope."

"I can't believe you, of all people, are the one I'm having this conversation with. I probably should have had it with my mother," Troy said, sighing.

"Oh, trust me, mothers are no good at this type of thing," Sharpay said. "Nannies are better. Heck, maids are better than moms."

"I'm sure they are. Still doesn't change the fact that I don't have either," Troy said. "And we're missing the point. The point is, we're not going through with the plan, and that's final."

"But the plan could be so amazingly perfect if–" Sharpay began.

"I love your shoes," Troy interrupted. Sharpay's face lit up as she gasped in delight, but then fell.

"I'm not falling for that twice, Troy," Sharpay said. "You don't really care about my shoes at all. You're just trying to leave."

"Fine," Troy said. "Say whatever you want." There was a long silence, as they heard the hustle and bustle of Evans' staff downstairs. "It really kills me though."

"What does?" Sharpay asked.

"Seeing them together. When we go on double dates. After basketball practice. During rehearsal. Onstage," Troy said. "All the time."

"Rest assured, Bolton, that I'm taking you and Gabi equally hard," Ryan said, from the door to Sharpay's room. Sharpay and Troy whipped around to look at him, guilty expressions on their faces.

**A/N: So. I don't own HSM. Thank you for reading, **_**please**_** review! And while you're at it, why don't you check out some of my other stories? Heck, you might like them. Who knows?**

**Samantha.**

**PS, it's thundering and lightning right now. And I'm scared. Just thought I'd tell someone.**


	15. Chapters 67, 68, 69, 70, 71

**Chapter Sixty-Seven – Experimentation  
(Gabriella)**

Ryan walked through the door into Sharpay's room, Gabriella at his shoulder. Troy and Sharpay looked very guilty. "How much did you hear?" Troy asked.

"That depends," Ryan said. "Is there anything you want to tell us?" Troy and Sharpay exchanged glances.

"Not really," Troy said. "It's just a little weird to be hanging out with you guys all the time, since me and Gabriella broke up and stuff, you know? And now, with the kiss during the performance…"

"Yeah, got it," Ryan said. "It's awkward enough without talking about it." There was a **really** awkward silence.

"Look, there is nothing between me and Troy," Gabriella supplied finally.

"How can you be sure?" Ryan asked, turning towards her.

"I could try an experiment, so long as you don't get mad," Gabriella offered. Ryan shrugged and opened his arms in a "go ahead" motion. Gabriella moved from behind Ryan to in front of Troy. "Don't kill me." She reached for his face and brought it down to her level, and kissed him softly.

"Okay, that's enough," Sharpay said, offering her first words since the apparition of her brother and his girlfriend. Troy and Gabriella broke apart, gasping slightly for air.

"See? Nothing," Gabriella said. She walked back over to Ryan, who put an arm around her protectively as a reflex. "Is everyone happy now?" Troy was feeling his lips where he had been kissed, but Sharpay elbowed him and he cleared his throat.

"Yeah," he said. "Nothing." Sharpay looked at the floor near Troy's shoes.

"So what's the fuss about?" Gabriella asked. "Seriously, people. Honestly. Come on, Ryan, we were on our way out." She and Ryan left the room, and went into Ryan's bedroom. Ryan was staring at Gabriella in disbelief as she collapsed on his bed. "I asked your permission first, don't give me that look." Ryan just rolled his eyes. "There is nothing going on between me and Troy."

**Chapter Sixty-Eight – Nothing  
(Sharpay)**

"What the hell was that?" Sharpay asked Troy, angrily, after she shut the door.

"Nothing," Troy said. Sharpay stared. "She didn't feel anything. She loves Ryan. Not me, him. What's he got that I don't?"

"An unbelievably hot sister?" Sharpay supplied. Troy frowned and smiled at the same time.

"I'm sorry to get you mixed up in all my Gabriella issues," he said.

"That's okay," Sharpay said. "I'm happy to help."

"Sure you are," Troy said. "You really don't have to help. I can go back to throwing a plush basketball at my ceiling. It does wonders for my basketball arm." Sharpay burst out a laugh. "Seriously. You didn't know I used to do that?"

"Apparently not," Sharpay said. "You're weird. You have a room, and it's covered in pictures of yourself and basketballs."

"There are some of Gabriella. And you're in one," Troy said, defensively.

"You mean the picture of us at the Midsummer's Night Talent Show that we all have?" Sharpay asked. "Cuz we all have one of those in our rooms. See, there's mine." She pointed to the wall.

"You also have a giant Zac Efron poster," Troy remarked, pointing right next to the picture. "I wonder why that is."

"In my defense, he looks just like you," Sharpay said.

"How is that your defense?" Troy asked. Sharpay shrugged.

"It seemed like a good one at the time," Sharpay replied.

"It's an uncanny likeness," Troy said, standing next to the poster and mimicking it. "Bet we look even more alike now." Sharpay giggled and nodded. Troy stopped. "We should get ready for the performance."

**Chapter Sixty-Nine – Performance  
(Ryan)**

"By my troth, Stacey, I dost love thee," Troy said.

"Oh, Keith," Sharpay said. "I dost love thee as well. I am so happy I could…"

"Throw a party?" Gabriella supplied. Sharpay nodded.

"A party sounds splendiferous!" Ryan exclaimed. "And we shall party until the dawn dost break! And then we shall party some more!" Gabriella smiled and joined his hand, as Troy and Sharpay moved together to dance the final scene.

When they were finished, the audience gave them a standing ovation. The four of them really deserved it, in their (cough) unbiased (cough) opinion. Still, the four of them, as well as the handful of other people in the play, were very well rehearsed, and reviewed in the newspaper.

"Thank you, thank you," Ryan said. "Will Ms. Darbus and, uh, Kelsi Nielson please come up on stage?" Ms. Darbus and Kelsi walked up onto the stage. "On behalf of the entire theater department and the cast and crew of the show, I would like to present you each with these flowers." He looked around helplessly. "If I could find the flowers, I would love to present them."

"Troy, the flowers!" Gabriella hissed. Troy jumped, and stepped backstage, emerging three seconds later, flowerless. A crew member from the other side of the stage emerged with the flowers, and presented them to their recipients.

"Thank you, random crew member I don't know the name of," Ms. Darbus said. "Members of the audience, thank you for attending this closing night performance!" Ryan suddenly remembered that he had no idea what the show was actually called. "Thank you for attending!"

"And thank you even more if you actually _paid_ for your tickets!" Sharpay interjected, making the audience laugh. "Really." Some of the audience members laughed again, but Sharpay raised an eyebrow or two, and they stopped. The four cast members took another bow with Ms. Darbus and Kelsi, as the audience clapped again, then they disappeared backstage.

"Oh, Gabi," Ryan said, following her into her dressing room. "This was just so awesome."

"What was?" Gabriella asked, confused.

"Just the whole show thing in general," Ryan said. "Being your boyfriend. Everything. It's just so awesome."

"Uh, thanks?" Gabriella said. "I think it's awesome too." Sharpay walked in at that moment, and stared. "Oh, hey, Sharpay."

"Hi," Sharpay said to Gabriella. Then she turned to Ryan. "What did I tell you about being in my dressing room?" Ryan smiled, nodded, and went to leave the room. "Hey, wait. Are you guys going to the dance?"

"Yeah," Gabriella said. "We're going together. Are you and Troy going?"

"Duh," Sharpay said. "So, which of these dresses do you think I should wear?" The girls continued their conversation as Ryan left the room, and going back to his dressing room that he had to share with Troy, and sighed when he saw him already in it.

"Hi, Troy," Ryan said. Troy didn't say anything, but continued changing. Ryan started changing into the clothes he was going to wear to the dance as well. "So…I hear you and Sharpay are going to the dance tonight." No response from Troy. "I think it's really great you decided to give her a second chance. She's really happy, you know."

"Uh-huh," Troy said, not looking at Ryan. Ryan thought this odd.

"So, the first basketball game is next week," Ryan said. Troy nodded. "I'm really nervous." Troy let out a solitary laugh. "No, really. I'm afraid I'm going to suck really, really bad."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Troy said. "From the way my dad talks about you, you'd think you were the second coming of the gods of basketball."

"If the gods of basketball were terrible," Ryan said. "I'm not _that_ good."

"No," Troy said, grabbing his coral blue tie and leaving the room.

"What has gotten into him today?" Ryan wondered aloud, although no one heard him. He picked up his jacket, donned it, and walked towards the gym.

**Chapter Seventy – Operation Troyella Makeup: Plan A  
(Chad)**

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Chad asked Kelsi. The Halloween dance was in full swing, and they, along with Taylor, were going to being Operation Troyella Makeup: Plan A. Chad was in charge of the name of the plan.

"Of _course_ it's going to work," Kelsi said. She was shuffling through the CDs on the DJ table. "If you get down there to help Taylor with your part. I have this part covered. Go!" Chad immediately left, still reluctant on the plan, but not wanting to make Kelsi angry. He joined Taylor at the table where they as well as the twins and Troy and Gabriella had left their stuff at the beginning of the dance. For a Halloween dance, no one was in costume. They were more dressed up fancily than anything else.

"Hey, Chad!" Troy said, pulling Sharpay over to the table with him. Chad waved. "And Taylor, of course."

"Thanks for noticing I exist," Taylor said. "How's life?" Troy shrugged, and he and Sharpay sat down. Gabriella appeared with Ryan about three seconds later. "Gabriella, I've been meaning to ask, what was the name of that play?"

"We have no idea, actually," Gabriella said. "They never told us. I think it's on the programs." Chad looked over at Kelsi, who was noticeably fumbling with the CD player, but then the song "My Humps" by the Black-Eyed Peas came on the sound system, and Sharpay squealed.

"Come on, Ryan!" Sharpay squealed. She pulled Ryan by the shirt sleeve onto the dance floor to dance the special dance that they had to do every time.

"I can't believe they're still doing that," Troy said. "They've been doing that dance since the song came out." Chad shrugged. "So, we haven't seen a lot of the two of you lately. What's up?"

"Oh, not much," Taylor said. "You know, still going, and whatever. You?"

"Well, Ryan and I are great, but–" Gabriella began. "What's Ms. Darbus doing up there on the stage?" Chad and Taylor looked simultaneously up to the stage, where Ms. Darbus was getting visibly angry with the disc jockey (not Kelsi), and the music stopped. Chad and Taylor looked at each other with faces that were not as pleased as they should have been.

**Chapter Seventy-One – Zekepay??  
(Sharpay)**

"I can't believe Ms. Darbus made him turn the song off," Sharpay said. "It's such a great song!" Sharpay and Ryan had rejoined the other four Wildcats at their table, and Kelsi and Jason had come to join them.

"I know, right?" Taylor said. "I love that song! Especially that dance the two of you have. That is a work of pure genius. Ryan, did you make that up yourself?"

"Uh, duh," Sharpay said. "He's a choreographer! That's what he does, and what he loves to do. He's just good at the dancing, and singing, and the other stuff."

"I'm sure," Chad said, not looking at her, but at Kelsi, which annoyed Sharpay quite a bit. Kelsi and Chad seemed to be conveying something to each other.

"You know," Jason said, "I was at this dance at West High once, with my old girlfriend, and their principal made them turn off the song 'Baby Got Back'."

"What is wrong with the teachers in America, these days?" Sharpay asked. Gabriella and Troy exchanged looks, and Sharpay glared. "Want to share?"

"No," Gabriella said. Sharpay glared again. "It's nothing. It's not exactly the most appropriate song ever, is it? I mean, really."

"Yeah," Ryan said, his arm around Gabriella protectively, as usual.

"Aren't you two just adorable?" Kelsi said, smiling a little too brightly. Sharpay rolled her eyes at Kelsi. "How are you guys? You know, since the play."

"The same," Gabriella said. Kelsi and Chad exchanged looks. Chad looked triumphant, Kelsi looked confused. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Kelsi said, quickly. "We just figured…you know, since the–"

"Troy and I have kissed before," Gabriella said. "It's not a big deal, you know." Kelsi shrugged, ready to respond, but she was interrupted.

"Okay, it's that time of night," the DJ said. "It's time to invite someone you didn't bring to the dance tonight to dance with you." He put on the song "Picture" by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow. Sharpay sighed. The antics of school dances these days.

"Care to dance?" Chad asked Kelsi, who shrugged. They were acting really weird today, in Sharpay's opinion. Taylor took Ryan, and Jason had wandered away to the drink table. Troy and Gabriella looked at each other then went off to dance together. It was like someone had planned it, which, Sharpay realized, someone probably had. Zeke appeared at Sharpay's side within seconds.

"Care to dance Sharpay?" he asked. She surveyed him up and down.

"I suppose," she said, taking his arm. They danced for a bit. "Did you come by yourself?" Sharpay asked him while they were dancing.

"No, I brought that cheerleader, Kayla," Zeke said. Sharpay nodded. "I would have rather come with you."

"Not working still, Zeke," Sharpay said, smiling. "No matter how good your cookies are. And your crème brûlée. And other baked goodies."

"I know," Zeke said. "Thought I'd ask. How are you and Troy?" Sharpay thought about it. No one ever asked her how she and Troy were. Everyone was always asking how Ryan and Gabriella were. She sighed.

"Not as great as I would have hoped," she said. "He loves Gabi, who loves Ryan, who, of course, loves her, completing the circuit. But in other news, he decided to give her up. Even after kissing her on stage all week. Real kissing."

"Ouch," Zeke said. "Your boyfriend kissing his ex. On stage, but still. That's gotta pull up old flames."

"You have no idea," Sharpay said. "Everyone knows, and they won't tell."

"Quote the song playing. Original," Zeke said. Sharpay went to reply, but someone tapped on her shoulder. It was Troy.

"Can I take over, Zeke?" he asked. Zeke smiled.

"Sure," he said, winking at Sharpay before handing her to Troy.

**A/N: Do I ever own anything? No. That still holds. So, I hope this chapter was to your liking. For those of you who actually **_**liked**_** the evil cliffhanger, don't worry, it comes back next chapter. :D**

**Thanks for reading! And please. Send me reviews! They make me happy!! (Very happy)**

**Samantha.**

**PS. And for anyone who is worried, no, Zekepay will not become a big issue in this story.**


	16. Chapters 72, 73, 74, 75

**Chapter Seventy-Two – Road Tripping  
(Gabriella)**

Gabriella sat at the table with Jason, waiting for the song to finish. Troy had left dancing with her, citing reasons of "extreme awkwardness" and she totally understood. Talk about opening old wounds. As if kissing him onstage weren't enough, they had danced. It was weird. Gabriella was sure she loved Ryan, but Troy had been acting weird as of late. She sipped her orange soda.

"So, who do you really like?" Jason asked. Gabriella was surprised. She'd never really talked to Jason about anything, least of all her love life. "Well, I mean, it's obvious you like Ryan, because you're going out with him, but I mean do you like Troy too? Because Kelsi says that he likes you."

"I…" Gabriella began. She really had nothing to say to that. Troy still had feelings for her? Then she had been making a real mistake not even trying to learn the stage kiss. "I like Ryan. Sorry, Jase."

"I figured," Jason said, sipping his punch. "Kelsi made up this ridiculously elaborate scheme to get you and Troy back together, but I figured it'd never work. And it really kind of isn't."

"What do you mean?" Gabriella asked. Jason gestured towards the dance floor.

"He's dancing with her, not you, isn't he?" he said. "Plan fail."

"No, what about this plan?" Gabriella asked.

"Oh, just…dumb stuff," he said. "Nothing really. I probably wasn't supposed to mention it. She tells me so much stuff, and I can never remember what to not remember. If that makes sense." Gabriella shrugged and nodded as the song ended. A few seconds later, Troy and Sharpay arrived that the table.

"Well, we have to go," Sharpay announced. "I have to get up early in the morning. We're going on a road trip."

"You're road tripping with Troy?" Gabriella asked, confused.

"No, with Ryan," Sharpay said. "We're going to see the touring company of Legally Blonde: the Musical On Tour this weekend. Did he not mention?" Gabriella shook her head.

**Chapter Seventy-Three – Troypay to Stay  
(Troy)**

"No, you'd think he would have," Gabriella said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, well, I'm sure he meant to," Troy said. "We've been really busy lately."

"I bet," Gabriella said. It was probably meant to be sarcastic, but Troy didn't take it as such. "When's the big game again?"

"Thursday," Troy said. "Ryan's really nervous. Thinks he's terrible."

"He's not that bad, is he?" Sharpay asked, concerned. "I mean…"

"No, he's great," Troy said. However much he hated the fact that his ex girlfriend's new boyfriend was better than him at…well, everything, it was true.

"Yeah, he's awesome," Jason said. "He taught us a new trick the other day in practice. Coach hasn't even been perturbed that he's been missing practice for rehearsal and stuff." Everyone stared at him. "What?"

"How do you know the word 'perturbed'?" Troy asked.

"I'm getting word-of-the-day emails," Jason explained. "That was yesterday's word. Today's is 'infatuated', but I haven't had the chance to use it yet."

"Interesting," Sharpay said, before turning back to Troy. "You knew I was going this weekend, right?"

"Yeah," Troy said. "It's been the only one of four things you've been talking about for, like, two weeks."

"Right, so, we're going," Sharpay said. "C'mon, Troy."

"Right," Troy said. "I'll see you guys later. Tell Ryan I said bye." He picked up his jacket and walked with Sharpay out the gym door, into the parking lot. "Well, that wasn't, like, painfully awkward or anything."

"I told you it was going to be. It's not my fault you don't listen to a thing I say," Sharpay said. They both got in Sharpay's bright pink convertible. Troy had hated the thing with a passion at first, but he'd gotten used to it, and now he actually quite liked riding in it. It made him feel even more like a Ken doll than he already was.

"You know you didn't have to come with," Sharpay said. "One of the guys would've given you a ride home. Or your dad."

"That's okay," Troy said. "I love riding in your car." He sounded like a four year old, which Sharpay was only too happy to point out. "I do not."

"Yes, you do," Sharpay said. "You're like a four year old with candy riding in a pink convertible like her Barbies have."

"You're not helping yourself, you know," Troy said.

"Well, you already like someone who isn't me, why not just finish it off??" she asked.

"I don't like someone that's not you," Troy said. Sharpay almost drove off the road in her haste to look at Troy. "Hey, stay on the road."

"Sorry," Sharpay said. "I think I misheard. You what?"

"I think it's a combination of sorts, really," Troy said. "Mostly kissing her all week. There really is nothing there. There's never really been anything when we kiss, except for on occasion lanterns will float and explode into fireworks. And then dancing with her just felt wrong. Like I should be with you."

"That's so sweet," Sharpay said. It would be even sweeter if it was entirely true, Troy thought. Sharpay seemed to suspect something of the sort, but didn't bring it up. She pulled into his driveway, and Troy hopped out of the car. "See you on Monday, sweetheart."

"Bye, Sharpay," Troy said. "Don't miss me too much."

"You either," Sharpay said.

"Then I'll be seeing you," Troy said. He turned and walked towards the door.

"I love you!" Sharpay called. Troy stopped, and turned back around.

"What?!" Troy's cell phone began to ring.

**Chapter Seventy-Four – Guy Code  
(Ryan)**

"So, I guess you'll have to leave pretty soon," Gabriella said. "I mean, you have to get up early and everything tomorrow."

"What?" Ryan asked. "Who told you that?"

"Sharpay," Gabriella said. "She said you guys are road tripping to see Legally Blonde: the Musical On Tour. Any particular reason you didn't tell me?" Ryan looked around the deserted school hallway for inspiration. "The truth?"

"I…forgot to tell you," Ryan said. "I've just been having such a great time with you lately, I keep meaning to tell you, and I forget. And then there's rehearsal, and I have practice, and I'm worried I'm going to suck at the game and everything. It's just…why are you staring at me like that?"

"I'm just wondering if you remember what you promised we were going to do this weekend," Gabriella said, nonchalantly, sending Ryan an interested look.

"I…" Ryan began, racking his brains for memories of any prior commitments. "Oh, right. I was supposed to take you to the cemetery so you could leave flowers for your dad. Uh, wow. I'm so sorry. I'd offer to stop there on the way, but we're sort of going in the completely different direction."

"Yeah, so I gathered," Gabriella said. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"I am going to call Troy right now," Ryan said, taking his cell phone out of his pocket, "and get this whole mess straightened out." He dialed Troy's cell number. It rang at least seven times before going to voicemail. "Okay, he's not answering."

"Wonderful," Gabriella said. Ryan stashed his cell phone back in his pocket.

"Are you really, really mad at me?" Ryan asked. "I said I was sorry."

"No, I'm not," Gabriella said. "I forgive you. I'll call Troy tomorrow, he already said he didn't have anything to do what with you and Sharpay going out of town."

"Hey, I'm sorry that you had to find out this way," Ryan said. "Come here." He held out his arms, and she gave him a hug. "We'll get this whole thing straightened out."

"What do you suppose is so important that Troy could be doing that he wouldn't answer his cell phone?" Gabriella asked.

"I think he's in another one of his 'I hate Ryan with the fire of a thousands suns' moods again," Ryan said. "He totally blew me off after the show."

"He said you were good at basketball," Gabriella pointed out.

"He has to say that, I'm his girlfriend's brother," Ryan said. "There are rules about these sort of things. You know, Guy Code."

"That's dumb," Gabriella said. "So, are we going home or what?"

"Yep," Ryan said. "Come on, I'll drive you home." They walked out to Ryan's car. There was a silence as they drove. "You know, sometimes I worry about stuff."

"That's…nice," Gabriella said.

"No, that wasn't the whole sentence," Ryan said. "Sometimes I worry about the future and stuff. But, you know, it just seems like everything will work itself out. Because everything is always okay in the end. And if it's not okay, it's not the end."

"I've heard that," Gabriella said. "And it also seems like a big bother to wait for the end, to know what's right. Because you don't know until it's over."

"Do you think we're making a big mistake?" Ryan asked.

"Funny, I was about to ask that same question," Gabriella said.

"So do you?" Ryan asked.

"Sometimes," Gabriella said. "And not others. Especially when I'm with you."

"That is so sweet," Ryan said. "Because I don't think so. Especially when I'm with you." He parked the car in her driveway and they kissed.

**Chapter Seventy-Five – More L.O.V.E.  
(Sharpay)**

"I love you!" Sharpay called. Troy stopped, and turned back around.

"What?!" Troy's cell phone began to ring.

"I love you," Sharpay repeated. It was the first time she'd said it, but she figured that he had already known. "Is that okay?"

"No, it's fine," Troy said. "I just…need some fresh air."

"You're outside," Sharpay pointed out. Troy's phone continued to ring. "Aren't you going to get that?"

"No," Troy said. "I can't think. Must lie down." He hit the button on his phone to make it go to voicemail."

"Well, your house is right there. I'll see you on Monday," Sharpay said. She went to turn the car on, but Troy stopped her.

"You can't just leave like that," Troy said. "Rule number one: When a girl says 'I love you' don't let her leave."

"What is that, Guy Code?" Sharpay asked.

"Yes, actually, it is," Troy said. "Guy Code also says that I have to be nice to Ryan because he's your brother, even if I hate his girlfriend-stealing guts."

"Do you?" Sharpay asked, apprehensively.

"No," Troy said. "Not the point. The point is, this isn't love." Sharpay couldn't believe her ears. "This is infatuation. You don't love me, you just like me. A lot. Like an obsession. I'm Troy Bolton. You're Sharpay Evans."

"Troy, I've heard this speech before," Sharpay said. "Does it, or does it not, sound a lot like the speech you gave me when you tried to break up with me the 461st time?"

"Well, yeah," Troy said. "And I still can't believe it took me 568 tries to break up with you the last time. It was so not worth it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sharpay asked. "Do you not like me?"

"Sharpay, I love you," Troy said. "But it's not like real heart-stopping love. It's just…puppy love. Like the way you love…I don't know…your favorite stuffed animal. Actually, more like the way Ryan used to love that stupid green monkey. What was his name? Waffles?"

"Wiggles," Sharpay said. "That was like insane obsession love, Troy. You're just repeating yourself."

"You don't know that," Troy said. "I might have something intelligent up my sleeve."

"Okay, well there is one thing I know," Sharpay said.

"What's that?" Troy asked.

"I love you, Troy Bolton," Sharpay said. "And nothing you can say will change that. Toodles." She turned her car on and backed out of Troy's driveway. She could see his expression fall, but then she drove past the house, and out of sight.

She did love him, and he had no right to tell her that she didn't. Who was he to know who she loved? Not to mention that he was just a boy. Boys didn't know anything. They were so clueless. She parked her car in her garage, and ventured into her house, to find her parents sitting in the living room, an odd occurrence in and of itself.

"Hi, kitten," Sharpay's mom said. "You better get to bed."

"Uh, yeah," Sharpay said. "That's where I was headed. Ryan and I are going road tripping tomorrow. What are you guys doing home? Aren't you supposed to be in Miami?"

"Oh, that," Sharpay's dad said. "We had to sell it."

"Why?" Sharpay asked, apprehensively.

"We're not rich anymore, sweetie," Sharpay's mom said. Sharpay's jaw dropped to the floor. She felt like screaming, but no sound would come out.

**A/N: There's that (really really weak) cliffhanger. I probably could have put another chapter in this chapter (if that makes sense), but it ruins the essence of the cliffhanger. **

**So, yeah, I don't own anything, but thanks for reading, and please leave me a review! They make me happy!!**

**Samantha.**

**PS, I know where I'm going with this, believe it or not. The Evanses do not go poor for naught.**


	17. Chapters 76, 77, 78, 79

**Chapter Seventy-Six – Poor?  
(Ryan)**

Ryan walked in the front door in just enough time to hear these last words and see Sharpay's jaw drop to the floor. He hurried over to her and put his arm around her. "We're what?" she managed to say.

"Not rich anymore," their mom said. "The company went under. You should really get your ears checked."

"We'll get right on that, Mom," Ryan said. "In the meantime, we have to be off to bed." He took the still shell-shocked Sharpay upstairs into her bedroom to chill her out. He sat her down on her bed, tossed her water bottle to her, and passed her a bag of Zeke's cookies. She looked around at him, as if really surprised that he was there. "Sharpay are you okay? Do you want me to call Troy?"

"What?! No, of course not!" Sharpay said. "He can't know that we're…poor! This is going to be a complete secret. It can't get out. If it gets out that the Evanses are…poor…we'll be the laughing stock of the school!"

"Okay, no telling Troy," Ryan said. "Do you want anything, though? More cookies? A movie? A Scrooge cartoon?" Sharpay threw her pillow at him.

"No, I'll be fine," Sharpay said. "Just get some sleep. We're still going to see Legally Blonde."

"How?" Ryan asked. "If we're poor, we'll need all the money we have just to…pay for stuff."

"Count your cash," Sharpay said. "We're going road tripping." Ryan rolled his eyes at his sister's sinister nature and left her room, going across the hall into his own room.

Money was never something that Ryan thought about. He knew he had it, but he never flaunted it like Sharpay had. He had more just acknowledged its existence and used it when he needed to. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Troy once again. This time it rang about nine times, and Troy actually picked it up.

"What's up?" he answered it, and Ryan had to suppress a laugh.

"Nothing much," Ryan said. He paused. "Okay, that's a lie. There's a couple things. First of all, I kind of promised Gabriella I would drive her to the cemetery where her Dad is buried this weekend, except for I have to go to Colorado with Sharpay to see Legally Blonde. So, I kind of hoped you could take her."

"Take Gabriella to the cemetery?" Troy asked. "Sure, no problem."

"Okay, and so the second thing," Ryan said, "and you cannot tell Sharpay that I told you, but…we're sort of…not rich anymore." Troy laughed. "Why are you laughing? This is serious!"

"Oh, I know," Troy said. "I'm watching old TV show reruns. Sorry. You're poor? That's terrible. Sharpay must be devastated."

"She is," Ryan said. "But you're not supposed to know. She thinks we'd be the laughing stock of the high school if people found out."

"But you're poor," Troy said. "Gosh, that sucks."

"We're not _poor_," Ryan said, defensively. "We're just not _as_ rich as we used to be. But as a rule, we never touch the principle. Never ever ever."

"Well, I'm sure that's good," Troy said. "Not exactly sure, but okay."

"So, you'll take Gabi to her thing?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah," Troy said. "No problem."

"And you won't tell her that we're…not rich anymore?" Ryan asked.

"If you don't want me to," Troy said.

"I'd rather tell her myself," Ryan said. "She being my girlfriend and all."

"Okay," Troy said. "No problem."

"Okay, see you on Monday," Ryan said. "Bye." He hung up his phone. Troy was the last person he trusted with Gabriella, but they had proved that week that there was nothing between them, and it was for a good cause, after all.

**Chapter Seventy-Seven – Troy is a Creeper  
(Gabriella)**

The next morning dawned bright, and Gabriella got up out of bed at seven o'clock. She left her bedroom, showered, dressed, and then walked back in to her bedroom, to find Troy sitting out on her balcony.

"You're not my boyfriend," she shrewdly observed.

"Really?" Troy asked. "No one told me." He grinned as she ushered him into her bedroom.

"What are you doing here?" Gabriella asked him.

"Didn't Ryan tell you?" Troy asked.

"Well, he sure has a habit of keeping secrets awfully well lately," Gabriella said.

"I'm going to take you to the cemetery," Troy said. "Where's your mom, anyway?"

"She's out of town on business as of four o'clock yesterday afternoon," Gabriella said. "That's why Ryan was supposed to take me to the cemetery."

"Where is this cemetery, anyway?" Troy asked.

"Long ways towards the Texas border," Gabriella said. "We lived in Texas until I was nine, and that's when my dad died, so that's where he's buried. Then Mom had to start taking all kinds of different jobs to keep us afloat."

"Sounds rough," Troy said. "Well, I packed a picnic basket, if that helps."

"Sure," Gabriella laughed. "We can pretend that helps." The two, laughing, gathered all the supplies they thought they'd need for their Texas Road Trip.

"It's like everyone's going road tripping this weekend," Troy observed as he pulled his truck out of Gabriella's driveway. "You sure you have everything?"

"No," Gabriella said. "But if we forgot anything, too bad." She rummaged in her bag and handed Troy a piece of paper, which he stared quizzically at before shifting into third gear. "The directions, Troy." Troy nodded.

**Chapter Seventy-Eight – First Dibs  
(Sharpay)**

"I cannot literally believe we are still blowing a couple thousand dollars, easy, on some dumb trip when we should be saving it in case we need it," Ryan said to his sister. They had decided to take Ryan's car, as it was much more fuel efficient than the Mustang Fabulous (Sharpay's pink convertible) and Ryan was driving down the road. As it had turned out, Ryan had had four hundred dollars on him, and Sharpay had six, so they – meaning Sharpay – had decided that that would suffice.

"Ry, chill out," Sharpay said. "We never touch the principle. Never ever ever."

"That's a quote from something. What is it?" Ryan asked.

"Dharma and Greg," Sharpay replied. Ryan nodded. "But we can't be really poor. I thought about it. I mean, they sold Miami. So we should be in good shape, right? We're not going to turn out like Jim Carrey in Fun With Dick and Jane, right?"

"No, it's not that bad," Ryan said. "We'll just have to…stop spending so much money until Dad gets a new job."

"He can't just get a new job," Sharpay said. "He's an Evans. We don't _work_. He was a CEO. They don't do much except sit around and make money."

"Yes, well, I'm sure he has other job skills," Ryan said. "And if worst comes to worst, maybe I'll get a basketball scholarship and he won't have to buy my way through college."

"I _will_ pass Algebra One this year, I swear," Sharpay said. "Even if I have to ask Gabriella for help."

"Wow, that's dedication," Ryan said. "Asking your arch-enemy for help."

"She's not my arch-enemy," Sharpay said. "She's my best friend." Ryan looked hurt. "Besides you, of course." Ryan grinned. "But she's not a terrible person. And Troy gave her up last night."

"What do you mean 'last night'?" Ryan asked. "He gave her up eight weeks ago when he started dating you."

"Not technically," Sharpay said. "He was still in love with her until…yesterday. Ish." Ryan did not take this news as smoothly as Sharpay would have hoped. "But he's given her up, don't worry. So I can be her friend again."

"You do realize where Troy is right now, don't you?" Ryan asked. Sharpay shook his head. "He's on his way to Texas for an overnight road trip with Gabriella."

"Oh," Sharpay said. "Well, whoever came up with that idea was an idiot."

"That was me!" Ryan yelled.

"But I love him anyway, because he's my brother," Sharpay said quickly.

"Nice save," Ryan said. "We're going home."

"No, we're not," Sharpay said, restraining Ryan from turning around with all her might. "We are going to Colorado, whether you like it or not, because there is nothing going on between Troy and Gabriella. Even if he likes her, which he _doesn't_, she doesn't like him, and even if she did, which she _doesn't_, she would never cheat on you! She loves you."

"Did I ever tell you how we got together in the first place?" Ryan asked. Sharpay shook her head, and Ryan began to briefly recount the events of eight weeks previously.

"Ooh," Sharpay said. "But you're not Troy. I mean, no one in their right mind would pick Troy over you! You're so much more talented than him! What's he got that you don't?"

"Gabriella's heart," Ryan said, glumly. "And first dibs."

"Dibs doesn't mean anything past the seventh grade," Sharpay said. "And don't let him get to you. Plus, if something does happen, we can kick their butts for cheating on us. Sound good?" Ryan shook his head. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to know that everything is going to be all right," Ryan said.

"Sorry, bro," Sharpay said. "I can't promise that."

**Chapter Seventy-Nine – Guy Code. Again.  
(Troy)**

It had been a couple of hours since they'd left Albuquerque when Troy's cell phone rang. He made Gabriella answer it, since he didn't want to while driving.

"Hello?" Gabriella asked the caller. "Yes, he's driving at the moment. You know I can't, Ry. That's why…yeah. Yes, we're fine. No, there is nothing going on. I don't know, cows and stuff. Yes, we are in hickville. Okay, talk to later. Bye." She hung up the phone.

"If he wanted to talk to you, why didn't he just call your phone?" Troy asked.

"I don't know," Gabriella said. "I didn't ask. He says hi, though."

"Did you know that in accordance with the Guy Code, Ryan and I have to be civil to each other in the presence of you and Sharpay?" Troy asked.

"Yes," Gabriella said. "And I think it's the best rule they've come up with yet." Troy grinned at the road, because he was driving.

"I think the last time we rode in this truck together we were still going out," Troy said.

"No, that's not true," Gabriella said. "You took me to the pizza place once when Ryan had to hurry home to get Sharpay something that one time."

"Oh yeah," Troy said. "So…" There was a long pause. "Are you wondering whether it was a good idea to go on this trip together?"

"Yes," Gabriella said. "But they must trust us. Why else would they send us off together?"

"I trust us," Troy said.

"Troy, I know you're still in love with me," Gabriella said.

"Was," Troy clarified. "I _was_ still in love with you. Yesterday. But that was yesterday. Today is a new day, and I am completely over you."

"Sharpay tell you she loved you?" Gabriella guessed.

"Little bit," Troy said. "A little bit. And while that was very nice of her, I just…I don't know. It's so complicated. You know, for some reason Guy Code says I have to be nice to you too?"

"Cuz I'm your ex?" Gabriella asked. Troy shook his head, still driving.

"Because you're my girlfriend's brother's girlfriend," he said. "As if that makes sense. Which it really doesn't. By that logic, it's a wonder I don't have to be nice to everyone. It's also a wonder I'm doing so badly in math."

"I can tutor you, if you want," Gabriella offered.

"No, it's because I'm too busy glaring at Ryan to pay attention," Troy said. Gabriella laughed. "I'm serious." He cracked a grin himself.

"That's why it's funny," Gabriella said. "I can picture you glaring at the back of Ryan's hat all through Geometry. Sharpay used to glare at me all through History. She's stopped now. We actually have a shopping date to get new outfits for the game."

"Mm," Troy said. If the Evanses were poor now, Sharpay wouldn't be going on any shopping sprees anytime soon. "I'm sure you'll have fun together."

"I hope so," Gabriella said. "She's always buying me stuff. I wish she'd stop. I get so embarrassed."

"Yeah," Troy said. "Me too. Whenever they mention how much money they have, it just reminds me that I don't." And now they don't either, he thought.

"Isn't jealousy one of the seven deadly sins?" Gabriella asked.

"Envy," Troy corrected.

"Right," Gabriella said. There was a long silence. "Wonder what they're doing right now."

"Don't know," Troy said.

"Oh, take the left here," Gabriella directed. Troy smiled and made the turn.

**A/N: I would have loved to put another chapter in here, but this is literally all I have written. Note to self: Get to Writing!! Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, thanks for reading it, and even if you didn't enjoy it (which I don't know why you wouldn't…) please leave a review! I don't own anything (including Dharma and Greg).**

**And for all of you worried that Troy and Gabriella will get back together, I assure you that there's a happy ending to this story. Just saying.**

**Samantha.**


	18. Chapters 80, 81, 82, 83, 84

**Chapter Eighty – Worries  
(Sharpay)**

"That. Was. Amazing," Sharpay said, as they emerged from the theater that night. "I cannot believe you didn't want to come."

"Because we're going to go absolutely broke," Ryan said.

"Money will come and go, but memories last forever," Sharpay quipped. "It would be so worth it even if we never had money again. I'm gonna call Troy and tell him all about it." Ryan didn't say anything, so she took that as a good sign. She whipped out her cell phone and dialed Troy's, but it didn't ring. "Ryan, my phone won't work, gimme yours." Ryan silently handed her his cell phone. She dialed Troy again, but it still wouldn't work. "What the heck? Why won't the phones work?"

"If I had to guess," Ryan said, "I would say that mom and dad shut them off." Sharpay sighed and slumped in the passenger's seat of Ryan's car. "We can call him from the hotel. Or not. I'm sure he's fine. He's a big boy, he can handle himself."

"I'm sure he is," Sharpay said. "I'm just worried about him. Aren't you worried about Gabriella?"

"Should I be? She's a big girl. And she swears there's nothing going on."

"I mean that they're so far from home," Sharpay said. "But at least they're not alone."

"Don't worry about them," Ryan said. "Worry about us."

"Why? We're not in danger," Sharpay said.

"Neither are they," Ryan said. "Just relax. We'll be back tomorrow and the most of our problems will be simply having significant others that used to date and the possibility of not having any money for the rest of our lives.

"That's certainly a positive thing," Sharpay said, sarcastically.

**Chapter Eighty-One – Hotel Rooms are Evil.  
(Troy)**

"I really don't remember it being this far away," Gabriella said. "I guess we'll just have to stay here for the night. It's too late to go back now." She was sitting at the foot of her father's grave, and she looked as beautiful as ever, in Troy's opinion. But that was fine, because she belonged to Ryan.

"Uh…sure," Troy said. "Is there anywhere around to spend the night?"

"There's a Holiday Inn just down the street," Gabriella said. "It's pretty cheap. I'll pay. This is all my fault. I can't believe we got lost so many times."

"No, it's okay, I got it," Troy said. He helped her to her feet, and soon they were walking into their fourth floor room in the hotel. "We can leave early tomorrow. I want to be home when Sharpay gets home. She's going through a tough time right now." Gabriella nodded, not really understanding.

"I'm gonna call Ryan before I fall asleep," she said. She dialed Ryan's number. "Troy, it says the number's disconnected. I'm worried about him."

"I'm sure he's fine," Troy said. "It's probably just down for maintenance. That's all. Nothing to worry about."

"I hope you're right," Gabriella said. She put her cell phone on top of the TV stand and turned to face the beds. Make that…bed. "There's only one bed?"

"Yeah," Troy said. "But it's king size. I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, don't be ridiculous," Gabriella said. "You can have that half." She pointed to the side closest to the door. "I'll take the window side." She kicked off her shoes and collapsed into the bed without changing her clothes. She was asleep within minutes. Troy couldn't help but think she was so peaceful when she slept. Much more than Sharpay ever was. After a while, he felt himself dozing off as well, so he kicked off his own sneakers and crawled into the bed as far away from her as possible. Inevitably, when they awoke the next morning, they were both in the dead center of the bed. Gabriella was snuggled into Troy's chest and he had his arms around her. He didn't mind so much, but he figured she would, so he tried to disentangle them without waking her, which turned out to be much more difficult than he'd originally planned.

"What the– Oh, good morning," Gabriella said, looking up at Troy. "I guess that didn't work out so well after all. Sorry."

"Nah, that's fine," Troy said. "I, um, yeah. It's cool."

"I don't mean to toy with emotions or anything, but I just…being like this reminds me of how it used to be," Gabriella said. "Before I fell in love with Ryan and everything." Troy mumbled something not meant for Gabriella to hear. "I know you still have feelings for me too."

"Yeah, I– Too?" Troy asked. "Don't tell me you feel it too. Don't."

"I'm sorry, I do," Gabriella said. "I haven't told anyone, but yeah, I do."

"For how long?" Troy asked.

"Since the day we broke up," Gabriella said. "It broke my heart to do it, but I knew I loved Ryan so much more. But I still love you too."

"And I still love you," Troy said. Without thinking, Troy and Gabriella's minds both went to the same place at the same time. They began kissing, with much more passion than ever before, probably from the effort of keeping themselves in control on stage the past few days, until they ran into a problem. Gabriella's bracelet snagged on Troy's shirt.

"Ow!" they both exclaimed at the same time. Gabriella tried to get it off.

"Ryan," Troy said.

"Excuse me?" Gabriella asked.

"Ryan gave you that bracelet," Troy said. "We shouldn't be doing this. C'mon, I'll drive you home."

"Troy, I–" Gabriella began.

"I know. I'm sorry too," Troy said.

"They trusted us," Gabriella said, bitterly. "Now what will they say?"

"I don't know," Troy said, truthfully. "Let's hope for the best."

**Chapter Eighty-Two – Library  
(Taylor)**

"You WHAT?" Taylor exclaimed. It was later that day, sometime in the evening, and Taylor and Gabriella were studying for their Calculus test together at the Library. "Sorry," she added with a glance toward the glowering librarian. "You _what_?" she whispered.

"I know! I'm stupid!" Gabriella said. "What should I do?"

"Well, don't tell Ryan, that's step number one," Taylor said. "Do you realize how angry he's going to be? You _cheated_."

"I didn't _cheat_," Gabriella said. "I just…cheated. A little. But it's the same thing that Ryan and I did when I was with Troy, nine weeks ago. Almost."

"You weren't on a bed in a hotel room nine weeks ago," Taylor said. "You were sitting on a basketball court in full view of your boyfriend. It's just his bad attention skills he didn't notice."

"Ryan must have known something like this was going to happen," Gabriella argued. "He sent Troy with me on the trip."

"Because he _trusts_ you," Taylor said. "What would you do if the roles were reversed?"

"Forgive me," Gabriella said. Taylor sent her a look. "I don't know, yell at me? But Ryan's not the yelling type. He more…seethes until you get so annoyed that you just confess to everything you can think of, including the murder of the prince of Egypt."

"I'm sure you didn't kill Moses," Taylor said. "Nor do I believe that he thinks you did. Just tell him the truth. That's all you can do."

"That's probably the least helpful bit of information I've received. Ever," Gabriella said. "But thanks for the help. Now, what about this problem?" Taylor sighed. Gabriella was changing the subject on purpose. And even if she thought it was imperative for the four star-crossed lovers to settle their differences, she did not condone cheating in any way shape or form, nor did she believe Ryan would. In fact, Ryan would be absolutely livid if he knew.

**Chapter Eighty-Three – New York  
(Ryan)**

"Gabi, it's me. Call me back at this number when you get this message. There's something important I need to tell you," Ryan said to Gabriella's cell phone's machine, before reciting the number to the phone he was holding.

"Still not answering her phone?" Sharpay asked.

"No," Ryan said. "I can't bear not telling her. It's like I'm lying to her."

"You haven't even seen her since you found out. It's not a big deal," Sharpay said.

"Kids?" Mrs. Evans called from the dining room. Both Sharpay and Ryan walked solemnly into the dining room. It was never a good sign when she referred to them as "kids". "We have something important to tell you."

"That's never good," Sharpay said. She took a deep breath and let it out.

"Your father got a job," Mrs. Evans said, from her seat next to Mr. Evans at the table. There was a phone sitting in front of him. "It doesn't start for two weeks, but it means a lot of money for the family."

"That's great!" Sharpay said, enthusiastically.

"What's the catch?" Ryan asked, suspiciously.

"It's in New York," Mr. Evans said.

"New York?!" Sharpay asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Evans said. "So, in two weeks, we'll all be relocating to New York."

"Why do we _all_ have to go?" Sharpay asked. "We've lived on our own before. We practically take care of ourselves anyway. Why can't we just stay here?"

"Because we've already sold the house."

"You _what_?!" Sharpay screamed. "This is _my_ house! You cannot just sell it to whoever you want! Without my permission! I refuse to accept this. C'mon, Ry, let's go." She pulled Ryan by the sleeve up to her bedroom, where she resumed her ranting. "I mean, how dare they sell the house! This is our home. It's the only place we've ever lived! They can't just sell everything and make it okay! I was meant to live in Albuquerque! This is my life! I can't just go! I've already picked out the colors for the next Musicale! Kelsi said she'd write us more duets, and put in parts for Gabriella and Troy! This isn't fair! My boyfriend is here. My school is here. My theatre is here. My life is HERE! They can't just relocate us like that! It's not fair. And on two weeks notice?" The phone in Ryan's hands rang and he answered it.

"Hello?"

"I got your message, what's up?" Gabriella asked. Ryan stared, dumbstruck, at the mirror above Sharpay's dresser, where she'd violently written "It's not fair!" in pink dry erase marker block letters a hundred times as she ranted.

"Uh…I'm moving," Ryan said, dumbly.

"You're _moving_? Why are you moving?" Gabriella asked. "Shut _up_ Taylor, I can't hear what he's saying!"

"My dad got a new job," Ryan said. "And I have to move to New York."

"Oh no," Gabriella said. "I hate that. My mom is always getting new jobs too. But isn't your dad the CEO and president of Evans Inc or something?"

"Yes, actually, but it went under a couple weeks ago," Ryan said. "And now he has a new job. And it means we have to move to New York."

"No, I won't let you," Gabriella said. "You can live here with me. And Sharpay can stay too. As long as you want."

"I seriously doubt that would fly with my parents," Ryan said. "I can ask. I'll see you at school, Gabi. I love you."

"I love you too," Gabriella whispered before Ryan hung up. Tears were forming in his eyes.

"For heavens sake, get a grip on yourself," Sharpay said. "We'll work this out."

**Chapter Eighty-Four – Suicidal  
(Gabriella)**

School the next morning was a total drag. Gabriella would try to engage Ryan in conversation, but it was like he didn't hear a word she was saying. To test the theory, she told him about the events that had transpired Sunday morning, but all he did was grunt. Gabriella felt lost without her Ryan. He was always such an upbeat person, refusing to let anything get him down. And now he was farther down than Gabriella had ever seen anyone go before. She was sure that she was the only thing holding him into life. Otherwise he'd be suicidal.

"He's not suicidal," Sharpay said. "He's just upset."

"You're upset. But you haven't taken to being really emo. How does he even own an entire outfit of black clothes?" Taylor asked.

"I didn't buy them for him," Sharpay said.

"I can't believe you're moving," Troy said. "That totally sucks."

"But it means money," Sharpay said.

"How much money is in your principle, anyway?" Chad asked.

"I don't know," Sharpay said. "A lot more than we'd ever need. We don't even need that much. Well, I could stop spending money. I think."

"I don't want you guys to go," Zeke said. "Who will eat my cookies?"

"I will," Chad said. "They're really good."

"And who will star in the musical?" Kelsi asked. "I wrote it for you guys."

"Guys, I think we're missing the point," Gabriella said. "I mean, look at Ryan. He's really down. You guys _can't_ go. He'll crack and kill himself."

"He wouldn't," Sharpay said. "He'll bounce back. I hope." Ryan grunted. "You would too, and you know it. Think about it. New York. I mean, what else have we always dreamed about?" She plopped Ryan's hat back on his head and began singing a song about wanting it all or something. Ryan seemed to be in a significantly better mood by the end of it. He stripped off his black sweatshirt to reveal a purple button-up.

"Just in case," he explained. "Black is so unfashionable. But I don't want to go. I can't leave Gabriella and Kelsi and the rest of you guys."

"He talks!" Taylor exclaimed. A few people laughed.

"I don't want to leave you either," Gabriella said, taking the hand he had outstretched. "But we have two weeks. To either make the most of it or convince your parents to let you stay. At least until Christmas, or even graduation." Ryan swallowed hard, trying not to think about leaving. Gabriella knew she was right, they did have two weeks. No sense in getting all worked up about nothing. Yet.

"Yeah, you're right. We do have two weeks," he said. "And I plan to make the most of them." The bell rang. "And that plan goes down the drain. Oh well, see you in Physics." He gave her a kiss before he and Sharpay left for Music. Gabriella went with Taylor to the locker rooms to get ready for gym, where they ran into Martha, who had their same gym class.

"Are Sharpay and Ryan really poor and moving away?" Martha asked Gabriella. "It's all over the school that they're moving to New York to avoid embarrassment of not being rich."

"That's not what happened," Gabriella said. "They're moving to New York because that's where Mr. Evans can get a new job."

"Oh," Martha said. "I'm sorry for you guys anyway. Ryan must be devastated." Gabriella looked at her curiously. "I mean, I've seen the way he looks at you, and that's not the sort of thing you give up without a fight."

"He seems like he is," Gabriella said, sadly. "He won't even try to stay."

"I just hope he's okay," Martha said. "He looked pretty bad in English."

"He's better," Gabriella said. "Sharpay got him singing again. He'll pull through. I hope." Both girls slammed their lockers shut and went into the gym. Today was pickleball. Gabriella sincerely hoped, simply for Ryan's sake that he did pull through at all. Him being in one piece was probably too much to hope for. Love like that can be stretched, but it, too, has its limits.

**A/N: I'M BACK!! Almost two months later, but I'm BACK!! I got a sudden inspiration to write this today, as I was thinking of ideas for new stories. I think I'll be writing this a lot more often now, although I wouldn't take my word for it. That's all I have to say.**

**I don't own HSM, OTH, Legally Blonde, or anything… So thanks for reading, and please review!! It's been so long, I could really use a review or two!**

**Samantha.**


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